Business asset management system using virtual areas

ABSTRACT

A system for defining and managing an asset which includes a data store for virtual area data provided on a host computer coupled to a network. The system includes a data input and supplement toolset including and including at least one of an item procurement system, a cost management system, a project management system, and an information collection system. Each system includes a database interface allowing the system to retrieve, use and modify data subject to permissions granted by project managers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application relates to application Ser. No. 09/557,641(attorney docket TRIRG-08330US0) filed on Apr. 25, 2000, entitled “AgentBased Purchasing System” and naming Thomas A. Wucherer as inventor, theapplication being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This application relates to application Ser. No. 09/519,935(attorney docket TRIRG-08331US0) filed on Mar. 7, 2000, entitled“Integrated Business System for the Design, Execution and Management ofProjects” and naming Cherisse M. Nicastro, Thomas A. Wucherer, ToddNisbet and Anthony A. Marnell II as inventors, the application beingincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] This application relates to U.S. Pat No. ______ (attorney docketTRIRG-08851US00) filed on Oct. 30, 2001, entitled “Intelligent ObjectBuilder” and naming Thomas A. Wucherer, Cherisse M. Nicastro, Anthony A.Marnell II and Anthony A. Marnell III as inventors, the applicationbeing incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0004] This application relates to application Ser. No. ______ (attorneydocket TRIRG-01000US0) filed on Oct. 30, 2001, entitled “Business AssetManagement System” and naming Cherisse M. Nicastro, Thomas A. Wucherer,Todd Nisbet, Anthony A. Marnell II, Anthony A. Marnell III, and HermanSpencer Jr. as inventors, the application being incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

[0005] This application relates to application Ser. No. ______ (attorneydocket TRIRG-01001US0) filed on Oct. 30, 2001, entitled “ItemSpecification Object Management System” and naming Cherisse M. Nicastro,Thomas A. Wucherer, Todd Nisbet, Anthony A. Marnell II, and Anthony A.Marnell III as inventors, the application being incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[0006] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Serial No. 60/244,492, entitled “Intelligent CAD ObjectsTechnology”, filed Oct. 30, 2000.

[0007] This application also claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Serial No. 60/246,275, entitled “Intelligent CAD Objects”,filed Nov. 6, 2000.

[0008] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Serial No. 60/244,457, entitled “Item Data IntegrationSystem And Method”, filed Oct. 30, 2000.

[0009] This application also claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Serial No. 60/246,276, entitled “Item Data IntegrationSystem And Method”, filed Nov. 6, 2000.

[0010] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Serial No. 60/244,493, entitled “Tracking Modules ForSpecified Objects”, filed Oct. 30, 2000.

[0011] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Serial No. 60/244,485, entitled “Module For PublishingReports On Intelligent Object”, filed Oct. 30, 2000.

LIMITED COPYRIGHT WAIVER

[0012] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document containsmaterial to which the claim of copyright protection is made. Thecopyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyperson of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears inthe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but reserves allother rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0013] 1. Field of the Invention

[0014] The present invention relates to a system for designing,constructing and managing the a physical asset such as a building,property, aircraft, or the like.

[0015] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0016] Many industries employ a team of players to design and execute aproject. For example, the construction industry employs a team ofplayers to design and construct a building, such as an office building,a hotel/casino, or a manufacturing facility. Typically, the project teamincludes architects who prepare architectural drawings andspecifications of the project according to a developer's direction. Theteam also includes engineers who are responsible for building systemssuch as structural, power, heating, cooling, plumbing systems, etc., andinterior designers who are responsible for specifications relevant tointerior design such as the selection and placement of furniture, paintselection, wall coverings, fixtures, office equipment, etc. The team'scontractor implements the designs of the architects, engineers, andinterior designers, and is generally responsible for the purchase ofmaterials, electrical systems, mechanical systems, life safety systems,furniture, fixtures, etc., and for the management of any or allsubcontractors who implement the design drawings and specifications.Other project participants may include a purchasing agent or purchasingdepartment that is responsible for purchasing items (e.g., furniture,fixtures and equipment, etc.) for integration into the project.Contractors and subcontractors who actually build the project accordingto the architectural drawings. A project superintendent may manage theparticipants, such as by approving some or all changes to the projectrequested by the participants. Additionally, the project owner mayparticipate to ensure that the project meets his or her requirementsfrom initial conception through completion. Finally, project accountantsare responsible for payment of goods and services.

[0017] In the past, the design and construction of an asset involved thetransfer of a substantial amount of paper between the various teammembers. For example, the architect may prepare conceptual paperspecifications and drawings for a building project. These paperspecifications and drawings, in turn, may be provided to one or moreadditional architectural engineers for modification or approval. Thechief architect must provide his paper design specifications anddrawings, typically via overnight delivery, to one or more of thecollaborating firms. These additional team members typically addcomponents or make modifications to the initial architectural drawingsand specifications. Once revisions are completed, the collaboratingfirms return the revised architectural specification and drawings to thearchitect so that he may compile a master set of building specificationsand drawings. Several different, further revisions may occur between thearchitect and the other project team engineers before the final set ofmaster architectural specifications and drawings is created.

[0018] The architectural specifications and drawings, once completed,are also provided to interior designers for input with respect tointerior design features such as furniture, wall coverings, paintselection, office equipment, etc. In that each item added to aconstruction project, including furniture, fixtures, and equipment,typically generates more paper specifications, the interior designersadditionally generate a substantial amount of paper that must beproperly cataloged and distributed to other project team members. At anypoint during the project, revisions to the original architectural designspecifications and drawings may occur which, in turn, may require otherrevision of the specifications of the interior designers and/orcollaborating engineers.

[0019] Ultimately, the interior design specifications along with thearchitectural and engineering design specifications and/or drawings areprovided to a contractor who, in accordance with the specifications anddrawings, coordinates subcontractors, purchasing agents, etc., topurchase the raw materials, electrical systems, mechanical systems, lifesafety systems, building equipment, labor fixtures, etc. and facilitatesconstruction management of the project. Construction management orfinance team members are responsible for maintaining the budget of theconstruction project, and must have current, accurate informationrelating to costs of materials, fixtures, labor, etc. Additionally,accountants pay project invoices and track the project's accountingcommitments. At any point, an owner, architect, engineer, interiordesigner, or contractor may propose modifications to the project thatnecessitate further, hurried paper transfer amongst the team members toinsure that all are working with the same information.

[0020] Computer implemented systems have streamlined many projectprocesses. In the architecture, engineering, and construction industry,software systems have been developed which aid each team member(specific to each team member's position) in the development of aconstruction project. For example, computer aided design tools have beendeveloped which enable an architect or interior designer to model anasset and store that model in a database. These computer aided designtools allow more efficient modifications to an existing design than theprior art method of employing drawings in which changes were made byhand. Accounting systems are also available which enable the paperlessfinancial management of a construction project. Additionally, softwaresystems are available to contractors to facilitate the necessarypurchases, scheduling and management of a construction project.

[0021] While these existing architecture, engineering and constructionsoftware systems aid individual project team members, communicationbetween the various team members remains as inefficient as in the past.In other words, an architect can make revisions to the architecturalspecifications of a asset by accessing and modifying an existingdatabase model of that asset. The architect has no need to generate ahard-copy of the architectural drawings and manually revise eachdrawing. However, the architect must still communicate with the interiordesigner, contractor, finance team members, etc., via the old method ofprinting out and hastily distributing (usually numerous) architecturaldrawings. This is especially true when project team members wish tomodify item specifications.

[0022] A project typically involves many phases including design andbuild. These phases often overlap and each is highly dynamic. The designphase usually starts with one or more designers creating conceptualdrawings of the project according to a developer's direction. Thedrawings generally include perimeter lines representing specific areas(e.g., restaurants, rooms, lobbies, offices, etc.) within the project.The drawings may also include graphical representations of items withinthe specified areas. For example, an architect may create a drawing of arestaurant area of a hotel/casino project. The restaurant drawing mayinclude graphical representations of furniture, fixtures, and equipment(FF&E) such as tables, windows, ovens, refrigerators, a backup powergenerator, etc.

[0023] The initial drawings, once completed, are provided to severalother project participants involved in the design and build process. Forexample, the restaurant drawing example above may be provided to one ormore structural engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineersand interior designers for their review, modification, and/orsupplementation. These project participants may add further graphicalrepresentations of items to the initial set of drawings. An interiordesigner of the project may wish to add graphical representations ofadditional items such as chairs or art work to a dining room sub-area ofthe example restaurant drawing above. A structural engineer may alsoseek to add graphical representations of items to the restaurant drawingsuch as a platform on which the backup power generator (graphicallyrepresented in the drawing) rests. When project participants (e.g.,engineers, interior designers, etc.) receive initial drawings of theproject, the drawings give very little information about the itemsgraphically represented. Typically, the drawings simply identify theitems by title or type (e.g., “a table,” “a window,” “a backup powergenerator”). The engineers, interior designers, and other projectparticipants further define or specify the characteristics or attributesof items originally contained in the drawings or items added to thedrawings.

[0024] The engineers or designers sometimes annotate specificationinformation on the drawings, but usually the engineer or designercreates a separate specification sheet for each item graphicallyrepresented on the drawing. For example, an interior designer may createa separate specification sheet for each type of chair graphicallyrepresented in the restaurant drawing. Each specification sheet containsdescriptive information (size, as size, material and finish, etc.)regarding a type of chair, and may reference other specifications suchas fabric. Likewise, an electrical engineer may, for example, create aseparate specification sheet for the graphically represented backuppower generator describing, for example, the generator's size, powergeneration capacity, weight, and other attributes.

[0025] In addition to providing specifications for items contained ondrawings, there are times when drawings are not created or items are notcontained on a drawing which is created, but there are stillspecifications for items required. For instance, in the above restaurantexample is remodeled, specifications for new furnishings may be createdwithout a drawing. Alternately the designer may provide an item schedulewhich list many like items and their distinguishing characteristics orreferenced items.

[0026]FIG. 1 includes an example of an item specification to be includedas part of a construction project. An interior designer developed thisspecification sheet for an entertainment center to be included in theliving room of a suite of a hotel project. Portion 110 of thespecification sheet includes general information about thespecification, such as a specification number, and the area and projectinto which the item will be incorporated. Portion 120 includesmanufacturer information, distributor information, a description of theitem, the dimensions of the item, manufacturer catalog information andthe manufacturer catalog description. Portion 130 describes the quantityof the item to be ordered, price information, and budget information forthe item. Portion 140 indicates information about receiving a sample ofthe item, and portion 150 includes information about the finish for theitem. Portion 150 also includes notes about the finish, notes about theinterior dimensions, and a note that the specification was issued to thepurchasing department on May 26, 1998. Portion 160 includes an image ofthe entertainment center. Portion 170 shows information about otherspecifications providing information about the entertainment center. Notall portions 110 through 160 are included as part of everyspecification, and specifications may have portions describing otherinformation not shown.

[0027] Other item specifications may contain different data or sectionsof information. For instance, portion 120 may list the color, weave,repeat, and pattern for a fabric. The details required are identified bythe type of item (e.g., hard furniture, upholstered furniture, fabric,oven, sink, faucet, chiller, etc.). Each of these types will havedifferent characteristics or attributes to be described to differentiatelike items. The type of item also may require references to otherspecifications required for an assembly. For example, furniture mayreference fabric and paint while chillers may reference piping andpumps. Attributes and required references must be defined in templatesfor each type of item specification.

[0028] Engineers and designers normally employ software applications forgenerating specification sheets for project items for which they haveresponsibility. These software applications generate electronic versionsof specification sheets into which engineers or interior designers enterdescriptive information. Engineers or designers usually enter areference to a graphical representation in a drawing into theappropriate specification sheet so that the specification sheet can beassociated with an item represented on the drawing. The electronicspecification sheets may be organized as flat files, spreadsheets, orword-processing documents.

[0029] Once the engineers or designers finish writing an itemspecification, the specification is ready to be provided or “published”to other project participants for review, modification, supplementation,and/or approval. The engineer or designer can send the specification ase-mail attachments if the recipient has a computer system withappropriate software applications for accessing the attachments.Alternatively, copies of the specification may be printed anddistributed. The author saves one copy as the original specificationsheet in electronic version form, hard copy form, or both, for archivingpurposes. Except for the graphical reference in the specification sheet,specification sheets are forwarded to other project participantsdisassociated from their corresponding drawings.

[0030] One or more revisions to each item specification may occurthroughout the process. Indeed, revisions to an item specification canoccur even after the corresponding item is purchased. In this lattercase, the purchased item would normally be located and returned to itsmanufacturer, and the purchase price may be refunded, in whole or inpart.

[0031] Specification revisions may occur for a variety of reasons by avariety of project participants. For example, the project owner, uponreceipt of a specification for one of the restaurant chairs, may desirethe chair color to be different than originally specified or determinethat the chair as originally specified is too expensive. Anotherinterior designer for the project, upon receipt of the samespecification for the restaurant chair, may notice that the originallyspecified fabric did not include fire treatment in accordance with localfire codes. The structural engineer, upon receipt of the specificationfor the backup power generator, may notice that his platform may notsupport the weight of the backup generator specified by the electricalengineer. Each reason for revision is communicated to the originalauthor who, in response, revises the specification accordingly. Oncerevised, the specification is re-distributed to other projectparticipants for further review, modification, supplementation, and/orapproval. The author of the original specification sheet has theresponsibility for maintaining a history of all revisions to thespecification sheet. The author also has the responsibility to ensurethat all necessary project participants have the most recent version ofthe specification sheet.

[0032] Once a specification sheet for an item has been approved by allthe necessary project participants, it may be submitted to the project'spurchasing agent. The purchasing agent, in turn, may create a purchaseorder for the item using information from the specification sheet. Anexample of a purchase order for several items, including theentertainment center of FIG. 1, is shown in FIG. 2. Page 1 of thepurchase order shows the entertainment center of FIG. 1 as item 1, page2 shows orders for other items 2-5, and page 3 shows general notes forthe purchase order.

[0033] The purchasing agent, like the project engineers and interiordesigners, may employ a computer system executing specialized softwarefor generating a purchase order. Typically, the purchasing agentmanually transfers specification sheet information into the purchaseorder, as shown in FIG. 2. The purchasing agent subsequently sends thepurchase order to manufacturers via hard copy or e-mail attachment. Thepurchasing agent also sends a copy of the purchase order to theproject's accountant.

[0034] Coordinating communication of information regarding items in aconstruction project becomes more complex as the scale of the projectincreases. Collaboration and the exchange of information, includingdrawings and item specifications, between design and build participantsalso increase the complexity of each project. Effective and efficientcollaboration is often the single most important key to bringing aproject to fruition in a quality, timely and cost effective manner.However, as more fully exemplified above, collaboration and informationexchange between participants, is typically a paper-based and chaoticprocess. Furthermore, it is difficult to determine the history of anitem based upon the papers residing at different project participants.

[0035] Managing change throughout the life cycle is also difficult in apaper-based or disparate application-based process. Decisions are notalways based on all information available, for instance, an owner maychoose not change the color of a fabric if the owner had known that thefabric had already been purchased and that a restocking fee would apply.

[0036] What is needed is an item data integration system that willintegrate data from different applications about an item throughout theitem's lifecycle. Data from the separate applications should bepresented as an integrated whole to users of the item data integrationsystem. An item data integration system that is capable of providingbudgeting, design specification, CAD drawings, purchasing, bidprocessing, receiving, invoicing, location, and maintenance data, orother processes in the item's lifecycle, about an item is desirable.

[0037] Integrated data allows change management throughout the process.For example, designers may wish to be notified if they are deleting anitem from a drawing that has already been purchased; Specifiers may wishto be notified if they are exceeding the approved budget for an item;Purchasing Agents may wait to purchase items if they know there is arevision in progress; Maintenance personnel may want to know whenpreventative maintenance is required or a warrantee for an item isexpired; etc. The rules for managing these changes and notificationsshould be configured by project participants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0038] The present invention, roughly described, pertains to a systemand method allowing comprehensive management of an asset from designthrough building and management. Multiple implementations of the methodand system are disclosed herein.

[0039] In one aspect the invention is a system for defining and managingan asset which includes a data store for virtual area data provided on ahost computer coupled to a network, and a data input and supplementtoolset linking virtual area data to business objects. In a furtherembodiment, the system manages physical assets requiring a plurality ofitems and components. In this embodiment, the system a data store forvirtual area data, including item attributes, for objects incorporatedinto or consumed during the creation of the asset. The system alsoincludes at least one data creation system for virtual area data in thedata store, and at least one of: a teamwork system, a project managementsystem, a cost management system, or an item procurement system, eachincluding a data store interface allowing supplementation of virtualarea data.

[0040] In another aspect, the invention may provide a change managementnotification to team members notifying them when specific actions occuras defined by user set business rules. Furthermore, The invention mayalso route system business objects for approval and publishing toproject team members and track the history of changes to system businessobjects.

[0041] In yet anther embodiment, the invention comprises a method forconstructing data concerning item specifications of an asset. The methodmay include the steps of providing a user data entry interface;receiving a plurality of data values, each into a data field of theinterface, wherein the plurality of data fields comprise a specificationfor the item and each data field of the specification describes anattribute of the item, and associating the specification with a virtualarea.

[0042] The present invention can be accomplished using hardware,software, or a combination of both hardware and software. The softwareused for the present invention is stored on one or more processorreadable storage media including hard disk drives, CD-ROMs, DVDs,optical disks, floppy disks, tape drives, RAM, ROM or other suitablestorage devices.

[0043] These and other objects and advantages of the present inventionwill appear more clearly from the following description in which thepreferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth in conjunctionwith the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The invention will be described with respect to the particularembodiments thereof. Other objects, features, and advantages of theinvention will become apparent with reference to the specification anddrawings in which:

[0045]FIG. 1 depicts a prior art item specification document used in aproject.

[0046]FIG. 2 depicts a prior art purchase order for the items in thespecification document shown in FIG. 1.

[0047]FIG. 3A is a block diagram showing an overview of one embodimentof the system of the present invention.

[0048]FIG. 3B is a representation of a user Home Page in accordance withthe present invention.

[0049]FIG. 3C is a representation of a Project Home Page in accordancewith the present invention.

[0050]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the data flow for an itemthroughout several stages of an item's lifestyle.

[0051]FIG. 5 shows an example of a specification as a configurable dataobject.

[0052]FIG. 6 shows an example of a configuration window allowing a userto define a configurable data object such as a specification.

[0053]FIG. 7A is a flowchart of programmably linked browser displaypages which illustrates the collaboration system used in the system ofthe present invention.

[0054]FIG. 7B is a depiction of an exemplary Message Center screen usedin conjunction with the collaboration process.

[0055]FIG. 8 is a flowchart of programmably linked browser pagesillustrating a project set up used in the system of the presentinvention.

[0056]FIG. 9A is a flowchart of programmably linked browser pagesillustrating the creation of a virtual area in accordance with thesystem of the present invention.

[0057]FIG. 9B is a graphical depiction of a virtual area.

[0058]FIG. 9C illustrates a specification list.

[0059]FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the interaction of varioussystem tools and how such tools modify data in the database to manage anasset in accordance with the present invention.

[0060]FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the lifecycle of an ItemSpecification in the system of the present invention.

[0061]FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the process of specifying anitem in accordance with the Item Specification Wizard tool used in thesystem of the present invention.

[0062] FIGS. 13A-13M are screen shots of page types used in the processshown in FIG. 12.

[0063]FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an request for quotationprocess flow in accordance with the system of the present invention.

[0064]FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a RFQ response process flow inaccordance with the system of the present invention.

[0065]FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating an RFQ review process flow inaccordance with the system of the present invention.

[0066]FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a Bid Request Wizard processflow in accordance with the system of the present invention.

[0067]FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a Bid Response Wizard processflow in accordance with the system of the present invention.

[0068]FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a Bid Review Wizard processflow in accordance with the system of the present invention.

[0069]FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a Purchase Order process flowin accordance with the system of the present invention.

[0070]FIG. 21 is a screenshot illustrating a purchase order process pagein accordance with the system of the present invention.

[0071]FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a shipping process flow inaccordance with the system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] The system described herein presents a completedesign—build—management solution to the tasks involved in overseeing andmanaging construction, manufacturing, and maintaining assets such asbuildings, ships, airplanes and the like. In one aspect, the system anenterprise system, Application Service Providers (ASP) platform, andopen architecture system which provides application toolsets that allowmultiple participants in projects, automation of bidding and estimatingprocesses, accuracy and efficiency in purchasing, integration withexisting applications, and simple but secure access over the Internet ora private network. The system captures and manages informationthroughout the design, build, and manage phases of the resulting asset.

[0073] In a further unique feature of the invention, all data isavailable in real-time providing consistent information throughout aproject's lifecycle. Even after an asset has been built, an owner orproperty manager can access the system to derive specific informationwithin a few seconds. This system can be applied to any number of designand build industries, including: Hospitality, Civil and ElectricalInfrastructure; Telecom; Commercial, Residential, and GovernmentBuildings; Manufacturing; Aerospace and Nautical applications; andAutomobile, Railways, and Public Transportation projects.

[0074] The system provides a single, logical solution to gathering andmanipulating information concerning assets. In performing this function,the system provides an efficiency of cost not heretofore known in priorart systems. Design data is stored and manipulated by the systemthroughout construction/manufacturing and, later, the management processfor any type of asset. While the system will be described herein withrespect to construction of a building, it will be readily recognizedthat the system is applicable to any type of asset. The system allowsmanagement of the designing and construction from beginning to end, andinformation is gathered and updated from multiple sources throughout theproject. The system is also flexible enough to accommodate manydifferent types of businesses and projects.

[0075] The system provides this solution to users in real time, so thatall information modified by users is instantly available to other usersin the system, creating even greater efficiency.

[0076] The following terms will be used throughout the specification andare defined as follows:

[0077] Attribute: A quality of characteristic inherent in or ascribed toan item specification.

[0078] Business Object: An article used in the conducting of business,such as a schedule of items, a letter, an email, a purchase order, arequest for quotation, and the like.

[0079] CAD: Acronym for “Computer-aided design.” Computer-aided designsoftware is used by architects, engineers, drafters, artists and othersto create precision drawings or technical illustrations. CAD softwarecan be used to create two-dimensional (2-D) drawings orthree-dimensional (3-D) models.

[0080] Classification: The system of the present invention recognizesclassifications as a category or class of item types. The classificationtree displays the classes in a hierarchal fashion.

[0081] Company: An organization or group that performs services orprovides products within the system. A business enterprise; a firm.Individual company defaults and standards revolve around a company.

[0082] Company Administrator: The first user for any company. This useris responsible for setting up licensing, company information, companydefaults, users, vendors, and so forth.

[0083] Component: The system supports components as a part of an ItemSpecification. A component is an existing Item Specification associatedto another item specification; together, they make up a whole item or anassembly. An Item Specification can have multiple components.

[0084] Document Set: A special type of folder in the Collaboration tool.A document set allows a user to group together any number of files intoa common set. The actual files are stored in separate folders organizedin whatever manner suits the user. The contents of the document setfolder are merely shortcuts, or pointers, to the actual files. Only onecopy of any given file needs to be maintained.

[0085] Item Specification: The detail information about objects involvedin building the parts and components of something. An example of an itemwould be a desk; an example of the item specification would be thedescription of the desk (height, width, depth, color, material, and soforth), its manufacturer(s), costs, delivery options, catalog numbers,and so forth.

[0086] Item Type: A template for creating item specifications for broadcategories of items. For example: a user might have an item type of“office furniture,” this item type forms a template a user would use tocreate the many item specifications for various desks required.

[0087] Project : A plan or proposal; a scheme or undertaking requiringconcerted effort. The system of the present invention allows any planwith more than one task to be considered as a project.

[0088] Project Partners: Project Partners can include suppliers,vendors, contractors, designers, and consultants who have differentlevels of access to specifications and receive information about, andrespond to information on, the Property or Project.

[0089] Property: The base organizational point for the activities of aCompany within the present system. The property is the larges hierarchalspace in one or more virtual areas. The “Property” label may becustomized using the Nomenclature options in Company Defaults.

[0090] Qualification: The Qualification process is the act of ensuringthat a company is suitable to perform work or provide materials for aspecific project. The system provides the ability to qualify vendorsand/or services before bidding and purchasing. Qualification is aninformation gathering process that can be used for screening purposes.

[0091] Schedule: A schedule is a list of specified items, a referencenumber, a version number and the item status information. The systemprovides the ability to generate schedules, either by type or instance,for the entire project or specific virtual areas.

[0092] The foregoing terminology is used herein for convenience inunderstanding the present invention. It should be understood that theaforementioned definitions are not intended as limiting the scope of thepresent invention to the particular terms which are defined. Othernomenclature may be used to represent the concepts and substance of theforegoing definitions.

SYSTEM OVERVIEW

[0093]FIG. 3A is an overview of the system 1000 of the presentinvention. As shown therein, the system includes an application serverproviding application toolsets to one or more client computers. Theserver and computers are coupled by a network, which may be a publicnetwork, a private network, or a combination of public and privatenetworks such as the Internet. The toolsets are designed to facilitatethe project creation and management by manipulating data describingbasic elements of the project stored in at least one database on theapplication server or a separate database server. FIG. 3A shows the sixgeneral types of application toolsets accessible by a client device.Each of the applications support project data entry and modification,while two are support system management and utilities. The specificfunctions of each of these groups of applications are set forth below.

[0094] Each client device may comprise a personal computer, a thinclient or any other type of processing device capable of supportingapplications described herein, and the system may be accessed bydifferent types of client devices—such devices need not be personalcomputers but do need to support the applications provided in theapplications toolsets. Applications server 1020 also includes at lastone database for property item data managed by the system of the presentinvention. In FIG. 3A, the databases are organized by property, but suchorganization is exemplary and not meant as limiting on the system of thepresent invention. Organization of the databases into one or more otherdata structures or classifications is contemplated as being within thescope of the present invention.

[0095] The application toolsets provided in the system include: a DesignToolset 1100, a Procurement Toolset, a Cost Management Toolset, and aProject Teamwork Toolset. In the following description, although theaforementioned tool sets comprise one embodiment of the presentinvention, it should be understood that additional tool sets may beprovided without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0096] The Design Toolset allows users of the system to input into thesystem 1000. The Procurement Toolset 1200 includes a Bid/RFQ tool and aPurchase tool. The Cost Management Toolset 1400 provides an CostEstimate tool, Budgeting tool, a Contract tool, a Payment tool, and anInvoicing tool. Finally, a Project Teamwork Toolset 1600 includes aCollaboration Tool, a Request for Information tool and Meeting Minutestool. Two other sets of applications are provided—an administration toolset 1300 and a utilities tool set 1400.

[0097] The system will be described herein in the context of itsimplementation in an Application Service Provider (ASP) model. As usedherein, the ASP model includes providing applications from anapplication server including databases organized by project or propertyto a client computer. In this context, an ASP is used to refer to anapplication server providing applications to a client device, as opposedto those applications which are installed in non-volatile memory on theclient device. In one embodiment, the application toolsets may beimplemented as a set of applications configured to run in anotherinterpretive application, such as in Internet Browser.

[0098] The application server 1020 is a server program in a computer ina distributed network that provides the business logic for anapplication program run on the client computer 1050. The applicationserver 1020 may comprise a portion of the system which may furtherinclude a graphical user interface (GUI) server, an application(business logic) server, and a database and transaction server. In oneembodiment, the application server combines or works with a Web(Hypertext Transfer Protocol) server and is called a Web applicationserver. The Web server provides several different ways to forward arequest to an application server and to forward back a modified or newWeb page to the user. These approaches include the Common GatewayInterface (CGI), FastCGI, Microsoft's Active Server Page, and the JavaServer Page. In some cases, the Web application servers also supportrequest “brokering” interfaces such as CORBA Internet Inter-ORB Protocol(IIOP), and Enterprise Java Beans.

[0099] In general, a request, such as an HTTP request, from the clientdevice is made to the application server via the network. If the requestis for a particular application, the application will be transmitted tothe client, loaded and run by the client by presenting a graphicalinput/output page to a user.

[0100] The system is configured to have a “Home Page” and “Project Page”for each user. Representations of exemplary pages are shown in FIGS. 3Band 3C. The project page may be customized to provide any number of thetools, or a subset of the available tools, to the user depending on thepermissions granted to the user by the Company Administrator. Theproject page will contain links to the applications which are accessibleto the user, and the data supplying those applications and theapplications themselves are provided by the applications server. Inaddition, security level access to the data is controlled by theapplication server.

[0101] In general, design data is created in the database by the designtoolset applications, but such data can be further supplemented and/ormodified by nearly all other components of the system. An object linkingapplication links design drawings (created in a CAD system orspecification builder) to specification data that describes the “realworld” object. The result is an “intelligent object.” When actions(budgeting, purchasing, delivering, maintenance scheduling) occur tothat object, by any system user, the “intelligence” of the object isupdated with this information.

[0102] An example of the data which may be used in the system of thepresent invention is set forth in co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. ______ filed ______ entitled INTELLIGENT OBJECT BUILDER(TRIG8851) by Thomas A. Wucherer, M. Cherisse Nicastro, Anthony A.Marnell II and Anthony A. Marnell III (hereby fully incorporated byreference herein).

[0103] The data may be stored in a database in any of a number ofobject, relational or distributed database structures. In oneembodiment, the data is organized in a series of name value pairs andrelationship tables accessible via XML or SQL. In another embodiment,the data is provided in a relational database with each objectrepresented by a single row of generic columns of attribute data, alongwith an attribute definition row. In yet another embodiment, the data isorganized into object classes and subclasses in an object database.

[0104] In accordance with the invention, the Application server may besupplied by a System Administrator. The Administrator may host theapplications databases, and provide assistance to users of the system atall levels in using the application. In this embodiment, the systemadministrator enables the application server for internet access suchthat the client computers may be positioned at remote sites, such as thephysical location of each of the members of the design team, purchasers,contractors and the like, allowing all users to communicate data to theapplication server via a secure protocol. The administrator may offeraccess to the application server, store data and customer service as aservice for which the System Administrator collects a fee. Types of feescharged by the System Administrator are described herein.

[0105] In understanding the comprehensiveness of the system of thepresent invention, it is helpful to understand how conventional dataflows in a project. FIG. 4 shows an example data flow for an itemthrough several stages of an item's lifecycle in a construction projectof a building. A project participant 312 originally provides a budget330 for the project. From the budget 330, different project participantsproduce specifications such as specification 332 for items to bepurchased. The purchasing department 316 optionally may produce a bidpackage 334 from the specification to obtain bids for an item to bepurchased. Subcontractors and vendors, among others, such assubcontractor 314, submit bid responses such as bid response 336 to thepurchasing department 316. Purchasing department 316 decides to whichsubcontractor or vendor a contract 337 or purchase order to provide theitem should be awarded. Contract 337 is communicated to projectaccountant 310 and project manager 320. Each of project account 310 andproject manager 320 may use respective computer system(s) (not shown)for managing different types of data associated with an item.

[0106] Upon awarding contract 337 or directly upon receivingspecification 332, purchasing department 316 may produce a purchaseorder 338 or contract for ordering the item from a seller 318. Thevendor 318 sends the item 340 to the receiving department 322 and aninvoice 342 to project accountant 310. Receiving department 322 sends areceiving list 344 to project accountant 310 and project manager 320.Receiving department 322 also places item 340 in storage. Storagemanager 324 optionally sends item 340 to a warehouse and provideslocation data 348 to the project manager 320. From the warehouse,warehouse manager 326 distributes item 340 to the construction site andprovides location data 348 to the project manager 320. Location data 348regarding the current location of item 324 is provided by warehousemanager 326 to project manager 320. Alternatively, storage manager 324may send item 340 directly to the construction site and provide currentlocation data 348 to project manager 320. Project superintendent 328then places the item in the appropriate location within the project.

[0107] The stages of the lifecycle depicted in FIG. 4 include only thosestages through the delivery of the item to the site and payment for theitem. An item has a life beyond the stages depicted; for example, afterbeing delivered to the site, the item is placed into a location withinthe project and often used for many years. The scope of the inventionincludes managing these maintenance stages of the lifecycle of the item.The stages shown in FIG. 4 are one example and used for illustrationpurposes only.

[0108] As shown in FIG. 4, many types of data flow to many projectparticipants during the lifecycle of an item used in a project. The term“item data” is used herein to describe collectively these many types ofdata associated with the lifecycle of the item. Each of the projectparticipants may use one or more application programs to track thedifferent types of item data that he or she receives and/or generates.Often project participants use application programs that are not used byother project participants, so that data is sent via paper from oneproject participant to another. In such a paper-based system, eachproject participant manually enters the data into one or more respectiveapplication programs.

[0109] Item data are described herein as objects of an object-orientedframework, although the scope of the invention includes otherorganizations of item data. For those unfamiliar with object-orientedframeworks, a brief summary is presented here. The building block of anobject-oriented framework is an object. An object is defined through itsstate and behavior. The state of an object is set forth via attributesof the object, which are included as data fields in the object. Thebehavior of the object is set forth by methods of the object. Eachobject is an instance of a class, which provides a template for theobject. A class defines zero or more data fields to store attributes ofan object and zero or more methods.

[0110] Each data field contains attribute information defining a portionof the state of an object. Objects that are instances of the same classhave the same data fields, but the particular attribute values containedwithin the data fields may vary from object to object. Each data fieldcan contain information that is direct, such as an integer value, orindirect, such as a reference or pointer to another object.

[0111] Design System Toolset

[0112] The Design system tools include a CAD intelligence plug-in,specification tool and a schedule tool. Each of these tools provideproject designers with the ability to enter data into the system in amanner which the designer would be normally accustomed to.

[0113] CAD Intelligence Plug-in

[0114] The CAD Intelligence plug-in adds functionality to AutoCAD orMicroStation/J or other computer aided design software. It can connectto the application server database, select item specifications, assignthose specifications to drawn items in the CAD drawing, assign thedrawing to a virtual area in the project and upload the “intelligentobjects” in the drawing to the database. The CAD Intelligence plug-in isavailable for download to a local PC from a designated home Page. Onceinstalled, the plug-in automatically updates itself as necessary whenthe System Administrator updates the functionality or design of theplug-in.

[0115] The CAD Intelligence plug-in adds a menu and/or toolbar to anexisting CAD application. Its main function is to connect drawingobjects with detailed specifications associated to the project. Thearchitect or engineer can also create new specifications while drawing.From within CAD Intelligence, a user can: login to the system database,add data fields to the cells/elements in a drawing (making them“intelligent”), associate drawing elements to an area, associate drawingelements to an item specification in the database, edit and view theattributes of intelligent elements, associate a mark in the drawing toan item specification, generate marks for the entire drawing and uploadintelligent elements from a CAD drawing to the database. The CADintelligence plug-in such as that described in co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. ______ filed ______ entitled INTELLIGENT OBJECTBUILDER by Nicastro, Wucherer, Nisbet, Marnell II, Marnell III (herebyfully incorporated by reference herein) is suitable for use in thepresent system.

[0116] Item Specification Tool

[0117] The Item Specification Tool is an independent application forcreating intelligent objects without using a CAD system. TheSpecification Tool is fully described in co-pending application Ser. No.______. Item Types are templates for creating item specifications forbroad categories of items. The use of Item Types enables a user todisplay all the item types for a selected classification. The systemrecognizes classifications as a category or class of disciplines andtrades. The classification tree displays disciplines and trades in ahierarchal fashion. Classifications are used to organize item types andcontrol access to them. This function allows a user to open and displayall details of a selected item type. The manager also allows a user tocopy the attributes of a selected item type to create a new item typewith the ability to edit the existing attributes. This process alsoprovides the ability to delete an existing item type that has not yetbeen used to define an item specification. A user may create a new itemtype for a selected classification by accessing the Item Type Wizard.

[0118]FIG. 5 shows an example of the item specification as aconfigurable data object. Three items are shown, including a chair 510,a drapery 520 and a fabric 530. Specifications 512, 522 and 532 areassociated with the three items. Fabric 530 is a sub-item of chair 510and has its own specification 532. The drapery is made from the samefabric as the chair and fabric 530 is also a sub-item of drapery 520.All of these items are specified as part of the guest room furnishingsgroup for the Palazzo Suites area of the project.

[0119] While each of the specifications 512, 522 and 532 provides aspecification for an item, each has different attributes. For example,the specification object 512 for chair 510 has a finish attribute, whichin the example shown has a value of “dark cherry.” In contrast,specification object 522 for drapery 520 has a style attribute with avalue of “Roman blinds” and specification object 532 for fabric 530 hasa color attribute with a value of “red.” The ability of differentspecifications to have different attributes provides great flexibilityto a user of the item data integration system 400. Standardspecifications can be defined when information is to be tracked for manyitems of a particular type, but a new specification can be definedwhenever additional information is needed for an item. Item dataintegration system 400 performs operations on all specifications in thesame way even though specifications for different types of items aredefined differently.

[0120]FIG. 6 is an example of a configuration window that allows a userto define a configurable data object such as a specification. Data fieldGroup field 610 allows the user to choose a group into which theconfigurable data object will be placed. Select Object button 612 allowsthe user to select an item object with which the configurable dataobject is associated. For example, the user may link a specification toa graphical object in the architectural drawing or to another itemobject. Space field 620 allows the user to indicate the space, orlocation, to which the configurable data object pertains and SelectSpace button 622 allows the user to select a location in theconstruction project where the item will be placed. Mark field 630allows the user to specify a mark and Place Mark button 632 allows theuser to place the mark on a graphical drawing.

[0121] Spec field 640 allows the user to select an existingspecification for the item and New Spec button 642 allows the user tocreate a new specification. Apply button 644 allows the user to link aconfigurable data object with an item object, Reset button 647 allowsthe user to reset fields of the configurable data object to defaultvalues, and Details button 648 allows the user to view the details ofthe configurable data object as shown in windows 650, 660 and 690. Whenapply button 644 is used to link a configurable data object with an itemobject, a relationship between the configurable data object and the itemobject is created. In one embodiment of the invention, an integrateddata object containing pointers to the configurable data object and theitem object is created.

[0122] New Spec button 642 will bring up windows such as windows 650,660, and 690 and buttons such as buttons 662 through 669. For a newconfigurable data object, the attributes list shown in Attributes tab670 is empty and the user can define attributes using Add Attributesbutton 692. Numeric attributes would have Unit of Measure buttons suchas buttons 673, 675 and 677.

[0123] Status area field 650 shows a status of the configurable dataobject. Window 660 shows a hierarchy in which the configurable dataobject resides. The user would highlight the level of the hierarchy intowhich the new configurable data object should be placed.

[0124] In the example of FIG. 6, the user has selected a specificationconfigurable data object and may use one of the buttons 662 through 669to modify the specification. Add SubSpec button 662 allows the user toadd a sub-specification to the specification and Add Instance button 664allows the user to add a new instance of the specification (an itemassociated with the specification). Remove button 666 allows the user todelete a specification, Edit Instance button 668 allows the user to editan instance of the specification (an item), and Edit Spec button 669allows the user to edit the existing specification.

[0125] The user has selected an existing specification so that fieldsare shown in the Attributes tab 670 of the specification. Height datafield 672, width data field 674, depth data field 676 have associatedunit of measure buttons 673, 675, and 677, respectively. Finish datafield 677, fire rating data field 678 and other data field 679 arenon-numeric fields for character data. The user may add a new attributeto the specification using Add Attribute button 692 and remove anattribute using Remove Attribute button 694. The user may specify statusinformation using Status tab 680, quantity information using Quantitiestab 682, and cost information using Cost tab 684. Each of these tabs hasits own corresponding data fields that the user may define and/or fromwhich the user may select.

[0126] An Item Type Wizard may be provided to define the generalproperties of the item type, including the type of attributes andcomponents that will need to be specified in the item specification.Attributes are characteristics of the item type that are necessary todefine the item specification. Components link item(s) required for theassembly or completion of a particular item specification. The systemsupports components as a part of an item specification. A component isan existing item specification associated to a new item specificationthat makeup a whole item.

[0127] For example, a door may require hardware, such as hinges, forcompletion. The hinge item type is a component of the door item type.Existing item types can be located through a search feature and added ascomponents. This tool allows the user to create rules for the item typethat define how a waste factor is calculated for the item, which CADmark is associated with the item type, whether component cost should becalculated as an associated cost or rolled up into the cost of theoriginal item, and so forth. The preferences defined apply to all itemspecifications that are created with this item type.

[0128] Additional functions which may be added to the item type includebut are not limited to the following: definition of reportingpreferences including the selection of layout per attribute andspecification data type; definition of a purchasing plug-in's ability tomodify the requirements of a specification; etc.

[0129] Item Specification Manager

[0130] Item Specifications contain detail information about objectswithin a physical space. An example of an item would be a desk; the itemspecification for the desk would include descriptions of its height,width, depth, color, material, manufacturer(s), costs, delivery options,catalog numbers, and so forth. Item Specifications are a central featureof system 1000. They are used in several Tools such as Purchasing, Bids,RFQs, Publishing, and Schedules.

[0131] The Item Specification Manager enables a user to display all theitem specifications for a selected classification and item type. Ageneral outline of the functions of the Item Specification Manager areshown in FIG. 4. This function allows a user to open and display alldetails of a selected item specification. The manager also allows a userto copy the attributes of a selected item specification to create a newitem and provides the ability to edit the existing attributes. Thisprocess also provides the ability to delete an existing itemspecification that has not yet been published. A user may create a newitem specification for a selected classification by accessing the ItemSpecification Wizard. The Item Specification Wizard is explained withrespect to FIG. 12 and in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. entitledItem Data Management System (TRIRG-01001US0).

[0132] Item Specification Wizard

[0133] The Item Specification Wizard enables a user to assign generalproperties to the item specification, such as: item specificationnumber, name, physical classification, and item type. After a user hascreated the item specification, the user can define other generalproperties such as the base cost and budget code. A user may also definewhich users for this property can view the item.

[0134] Additional functions which may be added to the item costs pageinclude but are not limited to the following: definition billing datafrom the specifier to their customer; designed quantities for areas tobe used in conjunction with the multiplier to assist in defining aspecified quantity and cost for an area; etc.

[0135] The Item Specification Wizard allows a user to define specificattributes and associate available components relating to the itemspecification. Components link item(s) required for the assembly orcompletion of a particular item specification. This tool also enables auser to provide a vendor with written notes about the itemspecification, such as delivery requirements, special instructions,vendor terms or any other information that needs to be communicated tothe vendor. This feature also enables a user to preview the itemspecification information and prepare a report for printing. This ItemSpecification Wizard also provides the ability to calculate the totalestimated cost, including component items, automatically. Costs are usedfor budgeting, bidding, and purchasing items. A history of the itemspecification is tracked by system 1000 to allow users the capability toview the historical status and specification changes for the itemspecification and its components over time, or view previous versions ofthe item specification. It should be further recognized that itemspecifications need not only be linked to other item specifications, butmay also be linked to business objects which do not include itemspecifications. For example, a Request for Information may simplycomprise an email asking a question without reference to an itemspecification. This object may be linked to other item specifications.

[0136] Additional functions which may be added to the item specificationinclude but are not limited to the following: definition of criticaltime frames for completing tasks relating to the item specifications;documentation of warranty and maintenance requirements of an item; linkof an item to a real-time building automation system's status of thatitem; etc.

[0137] Schedule Tool

[0138] A Schedule is a list of specified items, a reference number, aversion number and the item status information. System 1000 provides theability to schedule item specifications either by type or instance forthe entire project or specific virtual areas. A user can create customschedules for specific items, such as doors, fixtures or finishes. Theschedule can then be used as are porting tool and report itemspecifications based on their classification and associated virtualarea.

[0139] Item Spec Schedule Builder

[0140] A schedule builder tool is provided to allow users to create twodifferent types of item specification schedules (a list in tabularform). The Schedule Builder tool enables a user to schedule eachinstance in which the item specification occurs throughout the entireproject and allows a user to define an instance schedule report. TheSchedule Builder tool also enables a user to create reports based onitem specifications and virtual area. It reports the quantities of itemspecifications in this project and allows a user to define an itemschedule report.

[0141] Additional functions which may be added to the item schedule toolinclude but are not limited to the following: item schedule editor whichallows project participant to edit specification in a the schedule grid;links to publishing tool including selection of a publications purposewhich may defines whether or not the items are ready for purchase;exporting of schedule to other interfaces such as a CAD tool; etc.

[0142] Item Spec Schedule Report Tool

[0143] A Schedule Report tool is provided to allow a user to runexisting instance or item schedules for a specific virtual area or theentire property. These reports display on screen, an output of computer1050, such as a display, and allow a user to print each schedule or savethe schedule locally in a common format, such as Microsoft Corporation'sExcel® spreadsheet program.

[0144] Publish Tool

[0145] A publishing tool allows the item specification to be publishedand allows the system to track any and all changes by renumbering eachpublished version of an item specification. Publishing an officialversion of the items specification provides one form of version control.In one embodiment, the system prevents users from altering anyinformation for that item specification without creating a new revision.Revisions are particular form or variation of an earlier or originalitem. System 1000 maintains a numerical format of versions for trackinghistory. Publishing also allows a user to create an Item SpecificationBook. A unique feature of the online Item Specification Book is theability for it to be shared as different media. The Item SpecificationBook may be viewed online, printed, or saved to the user's personalcomputer or laptop for later use.

[0146] Additional functions which may be added to the publish toolinclude but are not limited to the following: selection of apublications purpose which may define whether or not the items are readyfor purchase; routing of the publication for approval; selection ofspecific project participants to publish the items to; etc.

[0147] Cost Management Tool Set

[0148] The Cost Management Tools offer a comprehensive electronicprocess to monitor, manage and control cost from a central location,track and forecast all estimates, costs, commitments, revenue,transactional events, and associated project information from the designto the construction and management of the resulting asset.

[0149] Estimate Tool

[0150] The Estimate Tool enables a user to create a detailed budgetestimate for a project. A user can import a classification list, virtualarea structure, or specification book as the basis of the estimate. Thistool imports transaction information and data structure into the BudgetTool to create a budget for the project. An estimate can be importedinto the budget as the baseline, or preliminary budget. The individualitems imported become rows in the estimate table. Each estimate has aunique name and description, and is assigned a unique ID number by thesystem. This advantage allows a user to quickly track and identify eachestimate and transfer the values into the budget in a logical format.All calculations and data manipulations occur locally and are not shareduntil a user chooses to save the data to the database 1025. An EstimateWizard is provided in a manner which resembles spreadsheets such asMicrosoft® Excel or Lotus 123®. Default columns calculate the valuesautomatically and maintain a running total for the entire estimate. TheEstimate Wizard allows a user to customize an estimate in order to suitthe methods in which a company conducts business. A user can enterestimate values and add any additional columns to suit particularbusiness needs. A user can group rows and subtotal within a user-definedhierarchy. The estimate can be sorted by any of the columns.User-defined formulas can be entered into fields and columns. Columnscan be hidden from view at any time.

[0151] Additional functions which may be added to the estimate includebut are not limited to the following: consolidation of sub-bid responsesfor submittal of an overall bid response; enterprise cost planningacross multiple projects; etc.

[0152] Budget Tool

[0153] The Budget Tool provides the ability to track and display allcost related transactions within the system 1000 on a project-by-projectbasis. The budget transactions are managed and stored as a consecutiveset of events, with associated values and sources. All cost relateditems within the system allow the allocation of a budget code and theapplication of the cost related information to be accumulated astransactions. The Budget Tool uses budget codes that can be defined ateither the Company or Project level. The requirements or structure of abudget code number can be defined by the user. Budget codes can be tiedto item specifications in the Item Specification Tool. This toolgenerates budget entries automatically from a number of system 1000processes, such as purchase orders. These system-generated budgetentries are created when the appropriate user in the purchase orderapproval chain approves a given purchase order. Manual entry is allowedfor the following transaction types: original budget entry, revisedbudget entry, pending budget entry, commitment entry, revised commitmententry, pending commitment entry, actual cost entry, committed revenueentry, pending revenue entry, and revenue entry. A user can also createan “estimate to complete” entry and transfer funds from one budget codeto another.

[0154] The Budget Tool allows a user to customize the budget by hidingor viewing columns as needed, as well as sorting by any column heading.The display follows a familiar rows and columns format, similar to thatof a spreadsheet. One advantage of this tool is the ability to generatetotals and subtotals for budget entries automatically, based upon auser-defined budget structure. The tool allows the appropriate users toaccess any value and display the detailed history for that transaction.The Budget report may be printed to a local or network printer andallows a user to export to common file formats. This tool allows a userto lock the budget to prevent further changes to the original. Afterlocking the budget, transactions apply to the corresponding revisedcolumns only.

[0155] Additional functions which may be added to the budget include butare not limited to the following: enterprise-wide budget control andspending constraints across multiple projects; etc.

[0156] Contract Tool

[0157] A contract is a legal agreement between the buyer and the vendordefining a scope of work. A contract may contain billing, terms, items,cost, shipping, terms and conditions, notes, and payment information.The contract tool can generate a contract as a standalone process or canbe initiated automatically from the Bid processes; the Bid process feedsinto Contracts. The Contract tool may automate a collection of theboilerplate legal text and other variables, such as name of the buyer,the name of the vendor, the items to be built or delivered, the terms ofthe contract, the costs of the items, the conditions of payment, and soforth, into a single electronic document.

[0158] Change Orders to contracts are also legal agreements between thebuyer and the vendor detailing the change to a scope of work. Changeevents leading to change orders such as revisions to itemspecifications, requests for information, etc. may be consolidated tocreate a change order to a contract.

[0159] Application for Payment Tool

[0160] The Application For Payment Tool generates payment requestdocumentation. The contract's schedule of values provides the line itemdetails of the application for payment, ensuring consistent data entry.The user can link and include change orders for timely billing andpayment processing. It links application requests to the Budget Tool foraccurate cost and revenue management and reporting.

[0161] Invoice Tool

[0162] The Invoice Tool generates and submits an online invoice toinitiate the payment process and notify users of current requests. Thetool set provides tracking and management capabilities. The purchaseorder provides the line item detail for the invoice, ensuring consistentdata entry. The user can link and include change orders for timelybilling and payment processing. This tool also links invoices to theBudget Tool for accurate cost and revenue management and reporting.

[0163] Procurement Toolset

[0164] The system Procurement Solution offers a complete and centralizedelectronic process to organize, send, receive and analyze procurementdocuments and processes. Users in the supply chain can defineprocurement needs, review and award bids, issue and track contracts andpurchase orders, and track the procured goods and services utilizingreal-time project information all through one system 1000. TheProcurement Tools automate bidding, purchasing, shipping and receiving,while facilitating process efficiencies.

[0165] Bidding Tool

[0166] A bid is a formal request sent to vendors requesting that theyreview the project requirements and submit responses indicating how muchthey would charge to work on the project or supply materials. TheBidding Tool is composed of the following functions: Qualifications(including the Qualification Request Wizard, the Qualification ResponseWizard, and the Qualification Review Wizard), Bids (including the BidPackage Wizard, the Bid Response Wizard, and the Bid Review Wizard), andRequest for Quote (including the RFQS Request Wizard, the RFQ ResponseWizard, and the RFQ Review Wizard).

[0167] A detailed description of the Bidding and RFQ tools is providedbelow. As will be understood from these descriptions, the Qualificationtoolset—Request, Response and Review—operates in a similar manner.

[0168] Additional functions which may be added to the bidding and RFQtools include but are not limited to the following: consolidation ofsub-bid responses linked via an estimate for submittal of an overall bidresponse; enterprise-wide bidding consolidating procurement acrossmultiple projects; etc.

[0169] Qualification

[0170] The Qualification process is the act of ensuring that a companyis suitable to perform work or provide materials for your project. Thesystem of the present invention provides the ability to qualify vendorsand/or services before bidding and purchasing. Qualification is aninformation gathering process that can be used for screening purposes.Before sending out bids, a user can qualify vendors to ensure they havethe credentials required to perform the work in the bidding process,saving both time and money y. Credentials are evidence or testimonialsconcerning right to credit, confidence, or authority. When a user sendsout the bid, one of the options is to send the bid only to pre-qualifiedvendors.

[0171] Qualification Request Wizard

[0172] A Qualification Request is a request that is sent to prospectivebidders to determine their qualifications prior to entering the bidprocess. The Qualification Request Wizard allows a user to create andissue qualification requests to prospective vendors. This wizard allowsa user to indicate the type of credentials a user wants the vendors toprovide for this qualification as well as create a user's own questionsfor vendors to answer, including attached reference documents, ifdesired. A unique advantage to this process allows a user to selectwhich vendors will receive the qualification request from either thecustomized company vendor list or the entire database of availablevendors. Optionally, the list of vendors can be published, so that eachvendor sees who else was included in this qualification, or thisinformation may remain private. Once the Qualification Request iscomplete it may be published with the attachments, questions, andcomments. Vendors have the option of accepting the qualification requestand providing the requested information, or declining the request withinthe designated time frame.

[0173] Qualification Response Wizard

[0174] A Qualification Response Wizard allows vendors to provide aresponse to the credentials, requirements and questions contained in thequalification. The Qualification Response Wizard displays a summary ofthe credentials and requirements the vendor must supply and anyquestions the vendor has to answer. This process then allows the vendorto send the completed qualification response back to the originalrequestor electronically.

[0175] Qualification Review Wizard

[0176] A Qualification Review Wizard allows the originator of therequest to review and compare the qualification responses, and selectthe qualified vendors. This step in the process displays thequalification request description, vendor list, requirements the vendorsare required to match and questions the vendors are required to answer.One advantage to this process is the unique ability to allow theoriginator of the request to view the credentials and the answers toquestions for all bidders as a side-by-side comparison. This processallows the originator to then identify selected vendors as beingqualified, based on the comparison.

[0177] Bid Package Wizard

[0178] The Bid Package Wizard is a step by step process that assists inthe creation of a bid request. Often bidders source materials or requestbids from sub-contractors to create their response to a particular bidrequest. The Bid Package Wizard has a feature to import items fromanother bid request, which one can then edit and incorporate into theirbid requests. This is a shortcut way of entering the sub-bid itemswithout having to re-enter them manually.

[0179] Each bid can have attached drawings, specification documents,item specifications (from the Item Specification Tool), and fileattachments. Some advantages to using the Bid Package Wizard include theability to provide bidders with special instructions, schedule meetingsfor bidders to attend, and import a list of existing item specificationsor manually create a bill of materials forth bid package. A benefit tousing this wizard is the ability to create one or more alternativeoptions for the bid; each alternate has its own set of drawings,specifications, item lists and attachments.

[0180] An advantage that saves time and effort is the ability to selectbidders manually, or automatically include previously qualified vendorsfrom a Qualification Request. A company can choose to publish its vendorlist to allow bidders to know who else has received the bid package.

[0181] When the bid is issued to prospective bidders, it contains theissue date, due date, and anticipated award date. This process evenallows changes to be made to an issued bid by creating an addendum inthe Bid Review Wizard. An addendum is document describing an addition,change, correction, or modification to contract documents. An addendumis issued by a the author of the bid package during the bidding periodor prior to the award of contract, and is the primary method ofinforming bidders of modifications to the work during the biddingprocess. Addenda become part of the contract documents.

[0182] The bidders can either decline to participate or they can accept.If they accept, they review the materials attached to the bid andprepare a response.

[0183] Bid Response Wizard

[0184] A bid is a complete and duly signed proposal to perform work (ora designated portion thereof) for a stipulated sum. A bid is submittedin accordance with the bidding documents. The Bid Response Wizard is themechanism through which bidders respond to the bid package. This wizardparallels the Bid Package Wizard. Any information specified in the BidPackage Wizard can be viewed by the bidder in the Response Wizard.

[0185] The bidder can view drawings, specification documents,attachments, and item specifications, as well as any alternates. Thelist of bidders is not available unless the company has chosen topublish the vendor list.

[0186] The Bid Response Wizard allows the bidders to enter a responsefor each breakdown on the bid package and review the addenda for eachbid. The review includes descriptions, drawings, specifications, itemslist, attachments, alternates and cost from any previous addenda and theoriginal bid.

[0187] This wizard allows the bidders to generate requests forinformation (RFI) messages. These are messages to various users thatrequest some type of information a vendor feels is necessary in order torespond to the bid. This feature also displays any RFIs that need to beanswered.

[0188] Bid Review Wizard

[0189] The Bid Review Wizard allows a user to review bid responses,including the description, drawings, specifications, item list andattachments from the Bid Response Wizard.

[0190] This review process allows a user to issue an addendum to makechanges to the original bid package. An addendum can specify the sameattributes as the original bid: for example, drawings, specifications,item lists, attachments, cost forms and so forth.

[0191] Just as the bidders may issue an RFI, the same ability isprovided to the reviewer in order to respond to the bidder or gathermore information.

[0192] The advantage to using this wizard is the ability to view thebidders' responses side-by-side to facilitate comparisons and award thebid from the comparison screen. This review can be used to compare theQuantity, Unit Cost, Units, Labor Rate, Hours, or Lump sum breakdownsbetween vendors for any specific bid/RFQ item.

[0193] Request for Quotation

[0194] Request for Quotation (RFQ) is a simplified Bid Package. Asimilar process of issuing the request, communicating with bidders, andreviewing responses is followed. For RFQs, a user has the option ofsimply awarding the RFQ, or awarding and automatically generating apurchase order.

[0195] Purchasing Tools

[0196] The Purchasing Tools provide a complete means for requesting,responding to, and reviewing purchase orders which integrates with theProcurement Tools. A user can track and management purchaseselectronically with project partners and vendors who are part of thesystem, as well as those who are not a part of the system.

[0197] Additional functions which may be added to the purchasing toolsinclude but are not limited to the following: consolidation ofrequisitions into purchase orders to the appropriate vendor(s);enterprise-wide procurement across multiple projects; etc.

[0198] Purchase Order Request

[0199] The Purchasing Tool electronically creates, issues, receives andtracks the history of purchase orders (POs). Some system processes, suchas Requests for Quote, can automatically generate purchase orders uponissue. The Purchasing Tool directly relates to the Shipping andReceiving functions of the Order Fulfillment Tool.

[0200] Detailed item specifications and other project relatedinformation found within system 1000 can be attached to the purchaseorder, according to the individual line item or as a file attachment.The unit cost, tax, and total cost are automatically calculated to allowfor accurate budgeting. All of the information is sent to the vendor asan itemized list for fulfillment.

[0201] The Purchase Order Tool allows a user to select a vendor from thecompany's vendors list or locate a vendor in the system and indicate theBill To and Ship To addresses for the company. A user can also identifya contact person at the vendor company to approve the order.

[0202] This process also allows a user to select stored “prefabricated”notes or comments. This saves time by not insisting that a user type anew note for every purchase order. A user can select the access levelfor each note; a private note can only be viewed by its creator, acompany note can be viewed by anyone in the company with access to thepurchase order process, and public notes are available to anyone withaccess to the purchase order.

[0203] The history of the purchase order displays any change orderscreated and the notification log, which tracks and identifies anyone whohas created, changed, or modified this purchase order.

[0204] This tool provides the ability to generate Requests ForInformation (RFI). The request, as well as “carbon copies”, can be sentto one or more users.

[0205] One of the greatest advantages is the ability to include userdefinable standard legal terms and conditions that are available to thevendor when they review the purchase order.

[0206] This process then allows a user to issue the purchase order tothe vendor electronically if the vendor is a licensed member of thesystem 1000 as defined by the company administrator or a user may printthe purchase order and manually contact the vendor.

[0207] Purchase Order Response

[0208] Once the licensed vendor receives the purchase order requestnotification, they have the opportunity to review the request in detailbefore committing to approving or declining the request.

[0209] The purchase order displays in a preview format providing theopportunity to print the purchase order or save the file in commonformat.

[0210] The history of the purchase order is available to the vendor toensure they are reviewing the most recent version, in the event that achange order may have been issued.

[0211] The vendor also has the option of issuing an Request forInformation (RFI) to the buyer, ensuring open and accurate communicationbetween both parties.

[0212] Once the vendor has determined to accept or decline the purchaseorder request, the system provides the ability to attach commentsregarding the decision about the purchase order.

[0213] This information is sent to the buyer with an e-mail thatconfirms the acceptance or decline of the purchase order request.

[0214] Purchase Order Review

[0215] Upon vendor approval, the Purchase Order Tool automaticallyupdates the budget with the committed costs. The vendor sendsnotification informing the buyer of the acceptance of the purchase orderrequest.

[0216] The review process allows a user to preview the response from thebuyer, which includes the printable version, any requests forinformation and an updated history of events for that purchase order. Inaddition to all of these capabilities, a user may also change anyinformation on this purchase order and re-issue the order. This changecreates a new tracked and numbered version of the purchase order andnotifies the vendor automatically.

[0217] Order Fulfillment Tool

[0218] The Order Fulfillment tool allows users to track shipping andreceiving of items electronically via an Internet based interface, orvia email, or via the Teamwork Toolset.

[0219] Additional functions which may be added to the order fulfillmenttool include but are not limited to the following: staging and routingof items required for the project; expediting of items required for theproject; inventory control and work orders; etc.

[0220] Shipping

[0221] A user can use this function to notify the buyer, via e-mail tothe company contact's message center, of the items which is beingshipped.

[0222] This process requires an approved purchase order that containsthe items which are being prepared to ship. The Shipping Tool providesthe flexibility of shipping all of the items at once or sending apartial shipment with comments to the buyer.

[0223] This process also tracks the status of purchase order items. Thehistory log is a tracking mechanism for the shipments completed for thispurchase order. The item number (item specification number), thequantity that has been shipped, and the date that shipment was recorded,appear in the history log.

[0224] Receiving

[0225] The receiving tool enables a user to electronically flag the dateof the received items. This tool also allows a user to notify the vendorthat the items were received at the job location. A user may use thisprocess to access the tracking history of the items once they have beenreceived as well as authorizing payment.

[0226] Additional functions relating to asset management which may beincorporated into the system include but are not limited to thefollowing: bar coding of items; tracking of maintenance, replacement,and/or retirement of items including planned and actual occurrences ofsuch events; tracking of aging and/or depreciation schedules of items;tracking of inventory and allocation of items; tracking work ordersand/or requisitions for repair, replacement, and/or acquisition ofitems; forecasting of replacement or repair costs; forecasting ofcontract renewal requirements and costs; assignment of cost for use ofitems; and the like.

[0227] Additional functions relating to business partner managementwhich may be incorporated into the system include but are not limited tothe following: tracking of distributors, suppliers, and/or manufacturers(i.e., supply chain) of items; tracking of item assembly and componentsthrough the supply chain; links to inventory availability from supplychain; links to customer items and purchasing including revenue and/orinventory requirement forecasting; and the like.

[0228] Project Teamwork Tools

[0229] The Project Teamwork Tools offer users a complete electronicprocess to manage and control asset and lifecycle cost from a centralpoint. Intelligent documentation begins in design as noted above and iscompiled throughout the asset creation process. This provides acomplete, integrated, referenced and searchable project record.

[0230] All specifications, drawings, documents, and costs are generatedand maintained within the database ensuring that all project history andlegacy data is readily available. This unique combination of toolsprovides an online management solution and a new dimension in continuityand efficiency for designers, builders and owners.

[0231] Collaboration Tool

[0232] The Collaboration Tool allows the members of a project team tocoordinate their activities and share information. This module allowsfile sharing, messaging, comments, and discussions for each project.

[0233] A flowchart of the general processes available in thecollaboration tool is shown in FIG. 7A. In FIG. 7A each box represents aprogrammably linked page or function selection from a menu item on, forexample, a web page displayed in a browser.

[0234] The collaboration tool is generally access from a toolbar link702 on a main page provided by the application server to the clientcomputer 1050. This presents a collaboration page 704 to the user fromwhich the user can select any number of pop-up menu commands to performcollaboration functions. The collaboration page 704 includes acollaboration tree showing uploaded files 710 that a user wishes toshare with others on the project and allows a user to view 718, upload708, download 730, discuss 760, and comment 726 on each of the files.The Collaboration Tree is composed of folders and files, similar tostandard software file systems. New folders can be created as needed.The user can create new folders 712 in the tree and manipulate fileswithin folders.

[0235] Files that are uploaded into the Collaboration Tool areaccessible from several other parts of the system. The files uploadedhere can be used as attachments on bids and RFQs, as pictures for itemspecifications and so forth. One file or multiple files can be uploadedat one time.

[0236] One unique feature of the Collaboration Tool is the ability tocreate document sets 714. A document set is does not contain files, butrather contains “shortcuts” or “pointers” to files another folders.Document sets can be used to collect files that relate to a given taskwithout maintaining duplicate copies of the files. One copy of each fileis stored in a folder somewhere in the Collaboration Tree, then ashortcut in a document set points to that file. Multiple shortcuts canpoint to any single document. This ensures that everyone can access themost updated information while only one user is maintaining the file.

[0237] Another unique feature is the available history and status 738. Auser can view the current status of any file in the Collaboration Tree,including the revisions, the name of the person(s)accessing the file,and the date and time it was accessed. A file log review function isalso provided 740.

[0238] The greatest advantage to this tool is the ability to shareinformation with only specific users. The Collaboration Tree allows auser to assign access and permissions to a “Share Group” 750.

[0239] A Share Group 750 is a named set of users who can access theportions of the Collaboration Tree with a specific set of permissions.The Project Administrator defines sharing options for collaborationgroups. Any user assigned to the project can be assigned to acollaboration group. A user might create a number of collaborationgroups for different management purposes.

[0240] Users can perform share group searches 752 and review group lists754, as well as create new groups 758.

[0241] The collaboration page 704 includes links to a file viewer 728 aswell as a library function allowing the user to checkout 734 and checkin 736 files.

[0242] An online discussion forum 760 is also provided. Users cangenerate on-line messages, view messages from others and reply toothers' messages in a familiar on-line chat format.

[0243] Additional functions which may be added to the collaborationfulfillment tools include but are not limited to the following: documentlogs tracking revisions and publication of documents; document typetracking and attribute assignment; document links to virtual areas; etc.

[0244] Request for Information (RFI) Tool

[0245] A standalone, Request for Information tool is a more extensiveversion of the functionality available within the Bid, RFQ, and PurchaseOrder Tools. This is a focused tool that allows a user to create amessage requesting information. The added functionality allows a user totitle the RFI, request a date for a response, indicate the cost or timeimpact of the requestor the project and attach any files to the request.This tool also allows a user to search for and track the history of allRFIs. A graphic depiction of the collaboration process is shown in FIG.7.

[0246] Additional functions which may be added to the RFI tool includebut are not limited to the following: routing and approval of RFIs andtheir responses; linking of RFIs to change events; etc.

[0247] Meeting Minutes Tool

[0248] The Meeting Minutes Tool allows a user to manage, schedule,record and share meeting information. A Meeting Minutes Manager allows auser to create meetings, organize them by type, create and edit meetingminutes and schedule future meetings.

[0249] A Meeting Minutes Wizard is provided to allow a user to determinehow the meeting information will be carried forward to future meetingsor what previous meeting information will be included in the currentmeeting minutes. Once the type of the meeting is selected and the userhas determined which information will carry forward into the meetingminutes, the user may set up the meeting(date, time and location),create an agenda and invite attendees to the meeting.

[0250] The meeting agenda is interactive and allows users to flag agendaitems as they are addressed. The system automatically transfers anyagenda items that are not addressed to the next scheduled meeting. Thisprocess serves as a reminder to cover items that may not have beencovered in previous meetings and assists in organizing and completingtasks. This tool also allows a user to import information from onemeeting to another in the case of recurring items or topic continuationfrom meeting to meeting. This feature prevents the user from re-definingany repeating information between meetings.

[0251] This tool can also be used to take meeting minutes, share theinformation and address action items. Action items function similar tothe agenda items, but allow a user to assign individuals and completiondates to tasks. A user may create a distribution list for meetinginformation. Any changes to upcoming meetings, meeting minutes,attachments, or action items maybe distributed to the members involvedin the meeting.

[0252] Additional functions may be added to the project management toolsof which, include, but are not limited to the following: submittals foritems; tasks and calendar items linked to business objects in thesystem; as-builts for items; and the like.

[0253] Administrative Toolset

[0254] The following functions are used in the system 1000 to manageprojects.

[0255] User Licenses allows a user to use the functionality suites ofthe system 1000. Several licensing packages are available: Core, DesignSuite, Procurement Suite, Supplier Suite and the Management Suite. Eachlicensing package allows a user to use specific sets of functionalityfor the system 1000. A user may purchase one package, a combination, orall of the packages depending on the company's needs.

[0256] The Company Administrator agrees to the system terms of serviceand specifies licenses for their company employees.

[0257] The Company Administrator is the first user for any company andis responsible for setting up licensing, company information, companydefaults, subsequent users, vendors, and so forth. The CompanyAdministrator does not have access toady projects or “work”; this issolely an administrative role. The licenses specified in User Licensescorrespond to the Design, Cost Management, Procurement, and ManageSolutions.

[0258] A User Profile is a collection of information specificallyrelating to a user. This information is mainly used for contactpurposes. The user profile contains information such as: Company Name,Full Name, Nickname, Employee Number, Department, Primary Function(Role), Manager's Name, Assistant's Name, Primary E-Mail, PrimaryAddress, Business, Fax, Cell Phone Numbers and so forth. When a useraccesses the system for the first time, they need to create a userprofiles well as change their user name and password. Over time, anychanges to name, telephone, address, position, company, and so forth,will need to be maintained using this process.

[0259] This profile information is used in the company contact processesas well as the user search process. This process assists other users inlocating contact information.

[0260] Company Wizard

[0261] A Company (Setup) Wizard is provided to allow a user to create aprofile for an entire company. This function also allows a user to setupspecific information regarding business processes. A company is anorganization, group, business enterprise or firm that performs servicesor provides products within the system.

[0262] This company information is stored in the database and if CompanyAdministrator so chooses, general information will be available to othercompanies within system 1000.

[0263] The benefit to having a company visible to other companies in thesystem is the ability to generate new business for the displayingcompany.

[0264] Any profile information for a company will remain private and canonly be used to qualify that company for bids or RFQs (Requests forQuote) if the company chooses to be involved in those processes.

[0265] The information that a user may define to create a companyprofile includes the company logo, departments, employees, branchoffices or alternate addresses, company contacts and the roles theyassume for contact, as well as various professional licensing, bonding,and other qualification information.

[0266] One additional feature of this wizard is the notificationfunction. This function notifies a user if a company has already beenentered into the system.

[0267] A contractor is a person or company that agrees to furnishmaterials or perform services at a specified price, especially forconstruction work. When a contractor joins the system 1000, it cannotify those members that the company is now ready to do businessthrough system 1000.

[0268] A company administrator can set up a number of different types ofaddresses, such as Headquarters, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable,Remit To, Job Site and more. If a billing address is set up here,purchase orders created for the company will automatically refer to thatbilling address. The headquarters address will display as the defaultaddress every time the company name appears in search results.

[0269] The benefit of the employee list is that a user only need toinclude this information once, as opposed to every time the user needsto associate employees with a new project.

[0270] Creating contact information in the Company Wizard saves theeffort of entering the information repeatedly and reduces the risk ofdata entry errors. A user may set up employees with relationships toindicate which of the company's employees may have specialresponsibilities. For example, if all purchase orders for a companywithin the system were to be e-mailed to Ellen Smith, you would create arelationship between purchase orders and Ellen Smith.

[0271] The Company Wizard allows provides the ability to record companycredentials, such as licenses, minority business qualifications, bondand insurance information, and some other general credentials. Thisinformation is used to compare the company's qualifications against bidparameters when someone is searching for qualified vendors orsubcontractors.

[0272] Prefabricated Notes are blocks of standardized text for use invarious situations within the system. For example, if a company alwaysplaces a reminder about billing terms on purchase orders, theappropriate text of this reminder can be stored in the system and usedas needed. Storing text in this fashion saves the time and trouble oftyping the information repeatedly and reduces the possibility of errors.

[0273] The system also includes a set of Project Defaults. Projectdefaults are similar to company defaults, but they apply only to thespecific project for which they are defined. Project defaults overridecompany defaults. Defaults can be set at the project level for projectrelated functions, including the following: Meeting Minute Types, ItemSpecifications, Purchasing, Bids, Requests for Quotes, and Budget Codes,as well as other areas of the system.

[0274] In addition, general company defaults can be customized at theproject level. For example, currency and time zone may be modified.

[0275] A set of Company Defaults is also provided. The Company Defaultsprocess allows customization of the functionality of the system of thepresent invention in order to meet the needs of a company and how acompany conducts business. General information may be defined by theuser. For example, currency, time zone, and nomenclature may becustomized throughout the system. Nomenclature is a way of organizingcategories of work for each company. The default major category is a“property”, and the default sub-category is a “project”. This defaultnomenclature may be changed to any terms that suit a company's needs.

[0276] Disciplines (Plumbing, Electrical, Architectural, and so forth)are used in later processes to categorize files, item types, itemspecifications, and to grant or restrict access to information. A set ofdefault disciplines is provided, but may be customized. Disciplines maybe added, edited, or deleted to suit a company's needs. The disciplinescreated or edited in this process become defaults for any futureprojects created by that company.

[0277] In one embodiment, the system may include a number of predefinedattributes. In FIG. 11, these attributes are divided into two exemplarycategories: General and Vendor. Companies may choose to work with one ofa number of the industry standard codes available from any number ofagencies, including the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)Masterformat codes and in one embodiment, the default classificationtree may be based on these codes.

[0278] The roles and permissions may be defined, as well as securityaccess for each role throughout the system. The system supplies a listof default roles. The default roles may be added, edited or deleted asnecessary to suit a company's needs. The company can then set thepermissions and access to disciplines for each role. The main benefit ofthis process (associating roles to permissions to discipline access) isthe ability to provide users with the information they need and restrictusers from information from which the company determines they should berestricted. A discipline is a broad area of operation with a project. Aset of default disciplines is provided with the application, but theuser can add as many as necessary to suit the needs of their project.Disciplines a reused to group item specifications. Users can be assignedpermission to a role to perform tasks within specific disciplines.

[0279] The Company Defaults process allows the company to set up thedefault numbering scheme for relevant processes, including: Item Specs,Purchase Orders, Bids and RFQ packages, and Budget Codes An additionalutility is the Project Association Tool. Employees in a company may workon multiple projects at once. The Project Association process may beused to assign employees to specific projects, or remove users from theproject.

[0280] Property Creation Tool

[0281] Yet another utility is the Property Create Tool. This tool isused to create a new property and its default project. Property issomething tangible or intangible to which its owner has legal title. Aproperty is considered the largest hierarchal space in a virtual area.Property is the generic terminology for a design/build entity; dependingon the nomenclature defined in Company Defaults, this term can bechanged to “Asset”, or a user-defined term or phrase.

[0282] This process only creates the property and project and associatesthem to each other. The setup tool is then used to set up detailedinformation for the property and project.

[0283] Vendor Reference Tool

[0284] Another administrative tool is the Vendor Reference Tool. TheVendor Reference List allows a company administrator to maintain a listof two different types of vendors. Vendors who have joined as members ofsystem 1000 are called licensed vendors. Those vendors who have notjoined are called non-licensed. Information about licensed vendors isavailable in the system and is maintained by that vendor. However, eachcompany must maintain its own non-licensed vendor list. The company canmaintain a set of addresses for each non-licensed vendor, much as a usercan maintain a set of that user's own company addresses.

[0285] This process enables a user to send an invitation to a specificcontact at a vendor company to join the system 1000. The contactselected receives the invitation to the system and becomes the CompanyAdministrator when that company joins.

[0286] There are two types of contact lists available. The first listdisplays a list of vendor contacts. These contacts are employees of thevendor which a user company may use to contact and conduct business withthis vendor. If this is a licensed vendor these contacts were defined bythis vendor. If this is a non-licensed vendor, the user must maintainthese contacts. The second contact list allows a user to associatecontacts from the user's company to each vendor. A company may havespecific employees that handle business with certain vendors. Thesecontacts are maintained by the company regardless of the type of vendor.

[0287] Once a property is created, the Project Create Tool allows a userto create a new project for the existing property. A Project is asub-category of work below the Property. The system allows a user tohave an infinite number of projects and subprojects created for theproperty. This process differs from the Property Create process becausea new property is not created.

[0288] Terminology Customization

[0289] In a further unique feature of the present invention, while theterm “Project” is the default terminology for a design/build project;depending on the nomenclature defined in Company Defaults, this term canbe changed to “Asset”, or a user-defined term or phrase. This can beperformed by the company administrator to allow users familiar with theparticular company's default terminology ease of use in the system.Moreover, each screen can be further “skinned” with a custom set-up fora particular user. In a basic fashion, this can involve simply placingthe colors and logo of the company on all screens. Further enhancementscan comprise reordering columns and page setups to accommodate users.

[0290] Access Control—Project Admin

[0291] The user that creates the project becomes the default “ProjectAdministrator,” regardless of the name entered for the Project Manager.The Project Administrator is the only person allowed initial access intothe Collaboration Tree for this project. The Project Administrator mustcreate a share group and assign other project users access to theCollaboration Tree.

[0292] Project Setup Tool

[0293] Once the project is created, a Project Setup Tool is used to addall relevant data to the project. A flowchart of the project set upprocess is shown in FIG. 8. In the Project Setup process, a user canmaintain and update the project name, description, and Project Managercontact information. The user can also assign a budget code number tothis project and upload a project picture to display on the Projectpage.

[0294] As in other processes, a user may either accept the companycontact list or create an additional contact list specifically for thisproject. The list of project contacts acts as a directory of the peopleother than employees and vendors associated with the project.

[0295] Certain steps in a Project Setup are required: filling in projectinformation 804, setting up a virtual area 808, setting up roles forusers in the system 822, setting up users 834 and setting up thepurchasing approval chain 838. Again, each box in FIG. 8 represents aprogrammably connected display page allowing user interaction with thedata on a property—project—user basis.

[0296] The first step in the project setup process is adding projectinformation at step 804. A file search may be used to provide imageinformation for the project from uploaded files in the system.

[0297] Next, optionally, contracts may be added via a contact page 806.The contacts page 806 allows adding or viewing of contact information810 on a project or system-wide basis.

[0298] The user is next required to set up a virtual area 808. Eachproject has a virtual area. The “Virtual Area” is a concept fororganizing and representing a three-dimensional physical space as atwo-dimensional hierarchical structure. It refers to the physicalbreakdown of a property or designed object. Virtual Areas are usedthroughout the system to organize a project and assign securitypermissions, specification counts, budgeting, and other functions. Avirtual area is the hierarchy showing the structure of the project. Thevirtual area can be organized to any level required for a project. TheVirtual area setup is discussed below. A company's users (employees) andvendors (sub-contractors/suppliers) will only view and be responsiblefor certain sub-set physical areas as defined by the virtual areas towhich they have access.

[0299] Next, optionally, disciplines may be set up at 812. An add/editdiscipline page is provided for adding disciplines to the project. Thisprocess allows a user to maintain the list of disciplines (trades) forthe project. The list defaults to the list defined in the CompanyDefaults. A user can create disciplines as necessary for the project.

[0300] Next, classifications may be added at 818, 820. This processallows a user to view, add, and delete items on the classification treeused for this project. The default tree consists of classificationsdefined in the Company Defaults. A user can create project-specificclassifications. Similar to the Company Defaults process, a user mayalso set up roles, permissions and disciplines. This information onlyneeds to be set up for the project if the user does not want to use theinformation defined in the Company Defaults process for a specificproject.

[0301] The user is next required to set up roles at 822. A Role is afunction or position that can be assigned to a user. A default set ofroles is provided, but any number of roles can be added in order tocustomize each (Project). The actions available to each user in thesystem are dictated by the role assigned, as well as by the disciplineaccess. The access level is also dependent upon the license granted tothat user. Hence, the page includes a discipline setup page 826 as well.

[0302] Project Partners may next be set up at step 828. A company search830 allows users to quickly add company information to the projectpartners setup. In addition, role associations can be viewed at 832. TheProject Partner Setup feature in this process allows a user to assign aspecific partner (vendor/supplier) to a specific role for a each VirtualArea. When a user accesses this function, the user may view the partnersalready assigned role(s) for this project. After a user assigns apartner a role, the system generates an e-mail invitation to the primarycontact of that company.

[0303] The user is next required to set up users 834, whose informationmay be retrieved from the system using a user search 839. A roleassociation view 840 is provided for the user setup page. The User Setupfeature allows a user to assign specific roles to individual users(employees) for a specific virtual area within the Project. This issimilar to the process a user goes through for contractors. After a userassigns a role, the system generates an e-mail to that user informingthem of the role assignment.

[0304] A final required step is the setup of the purchasing approvalchain 838. The system allows users to add individuals to the purchasingapproval chain 839, change levels of users 842, or edit approvers 844.This is a unique feature of the Project Setup process. The approvalchain is defined as the departments in a company through which thepurchase order “paperwork” flows for approval. Using the system of thepresent invention, this is an electronic workflow. Set up the approvalchain in the order the approval must occur. Then, set up specific dollarvalue limits on approval levels and specify which specific company usersassigned to the project have the approval authority for these levels.Virtual areas can also be graphically defined in the CAD system.

[0305] The user may then proceed to a vendor setup, if desired, orreturn to the project page.

[0306] Virtual Area

[0307]FIG. 9A shows the process for setting up a virtual area. As notedabove, the concept of a virtual area is a further unique feature of thepresent invention. By organizing and representing a three-dimensionalphysical space as a two-dimensional hierarchical structure, it providessystem users with a unique way to physically breakdown a property orobject to perform any number of functions, outlined throughout thesystem to organize a project and assign security permissions,specification counts, budgeting, and other functions.

[0308] As shown in FIG. 9A, each virtual area may comprise a tree 902,the top-most item of which is the largest area that may be referred toin the project. This virtual area is created by default when theproperty and project are created. Virtual areas may be viewed in a CADprogram visually and the CAD Intelligence plug-in allows users to selectvirtual areas and “hover” a mouse over the area to provide a pop-up menuproviding the functionality shown in FIG. 9A. Subsequent levels in avirtual area are all created with the Virtual Area Setup feature.

[0309] The virtual area hierarchy can extend down many levels, dependingupon a user's needs. For simple jobs, there may only be one or a fewvirtual areas. For large commercial construction projects, there may behundreds or even thousands of nested virtual areas. The virtual areatree can be expanded and collapsed as needed to view specific levels ofthe project. New virtual areas can be added with a mouse click.

[0310] As shown in FIG. 9A the virtual area may be edited directly at906. The Virtual area will provide an item specification list 908 baseon the definition of the virtual area. The virtual area may then exportreports 910, allow an edit filter 912, and provide a link to editingitems in the Item Spec Wizard, set forth below with respect to FIG. 12.In the item specification for the virtual area, data for each item inthe item specification is arranged in rows and columns, as illustratedin FIG. 9C, allowing the user to click on a Quantity purchased 918,quantity pending purchase 920, quantity bid 924, quantity required ascomponents 926, quantity shipped 928, quantity received, 930, quantityspecified 932 or quantity drawn 934.

[0311] As illustrated in FIG. 9B, the virtual area may be definedgraphically in a CAD application as well. Shown in FIG. 9B is a partialfloor plan of a building with a first virtual area definition 980 and asecond virtual area definition 982. These definitions are created byclicking and dragging with the appropriate tool in a CAD program andselecting a “define virtual area” selection from a pop-up menu.

[0312] Additional functions pertaining to workflow in the system includebut are not limited to the following: sequential and/or parallelrouting, tiered, linear, parallel, and/or data driven approval, andbased on users, groups, and/or roles including delegation and permissionto deviate for each type of business object; selection of workflow for aproject with defaults for each company; workflow control including datelimitations and/or exception requirements; task lists and responsibleparties according to work flow; required fields and/or permitted perworkflow step; deviation and/or exception handling per instance of abusiness object; and the like.

[0313] Utility Toolset

[0314] The following tools are available in all the aforementioned toolsets.

[0315] Reports: Throughout the system processes generate printablereports. These reports display in each applicable process for preview. Acommand bar at the top of each display page allows a user to navigatethrough the pages of the report, download the report to the user'scomputer's local drive, or refresh the report to view any recentchanges.

[0316] An export function may be supported to allow users the ability toexport the displayed report in several different formats; this includesAdobe PDF or Portable Document Format.

[0317] Report Manager

[0318] In addition to the ability to access these reports in theirrespective processes, a user may also create, run, and define reportswithin a Report Manager Tool. This tool allows a user to access one areafor all of the available reports within the system.

[0319] A user may also navigate through the pages of the report,download the report to the user's computer's local drive, or refresh thereport to view any recent changes within the manager.

[0320] Search Tools

[0321] Search Tools provide list of searches is available from a searchmenu and is limited by roles, permissions, and licenses. A user may notsee all of the items available on this menu, nor be able to access allof the searches. Each search has optional filter mechanisms to limit thenumber of results returned by the search.

[0322] A Bid Search allows a user to locate and access previouslycreated bids. This search also allows a user to delete unpublishedbids/RFQs.

[0323] A Documents Search allows a user to locate and attach files thathave been previously uploaded to the system using the CollaborationTool.

[0324] An Estimate Search allows a user to locate and access previouslycreated estimates.

[0325] An Item Specs with Virtual Area Search allows a user to searchfor Item Specifications associated with a virtual area.

[0326] An Item Spec Search allows a user to locate item specificationsrelating to a project. This search returns only those itemspecifications which the user has permission to view.

[0327] An Item Type Search allows a user to locate and view existingitem types, including descriptions and classifications.

[0328] A Property Item Spec Search allows a user to locate and view thevirtual area association, occurrences, and total quantity of the itemspecification. This search provides the option to only select specificareas in which the item specification occurs.

[0329] A Property Spec Book Search allows a user to view published itemspecification books.

[0330] A Purchase Orders Search allows a user to search and displaypurchase orders (PO).

[0331] A Qualification Search allows a user to locate and displayqualifications.

[0332] A RFQ Search allows a user to locate and access requests forquotation. This search also allows the user to delete unpublished RFQs.

[0333] A Users Search allows a user to locate and contact users in thesystem.

[0334] A Vendor Search allows a user to search for vendors and contacts.The Vendor Search allows for complex search criteria beyond the vendorname.

[0335] A Request for Information Search allows a user to locate existingrequests for information.

[0336] A Virtual Area Specification List is used to view the items alongwith their associated specifications and counts within a given virtualarea.

[0337] Optionally, the list can be filtered using criteria such asclassification and discipline. An Item Spec List can be sorted by itemnumber or item name. From this list, a user can see the quantity of agiven item specification for each stage in a project. A Virtual AreaSpecification List can generate an Item Cost Report or exportinformation in a variety of formats, including Excel, Rich Text Format(RTF), Comma Separated Values (CAVE), HTML and XML.

[0338] An Item Spec Filter is also provided, since virtual areas mightinclude any number of subsidiary virtual areas and any number of itemspecifications.

[0339] Announcements

[0340] Announcements are a type of electronic bulletin board where auser can post messages for others to see. There are two different setsof announcements in the system: company announcements and projectannouncements.

[0341] Announcements include the text of the announcement and itspriority. It may also include a picture and one or more Internet URLlinks.

[0342] Message Center

[0343] A message center is an e-mail system for sending and receivingmessages electronically over a computer network, as between personalcomputers or through the Internet. This Message Tool is similar to manyother messaging or e-mail functions. A major difference in the systemmessaging tool is the ability to communicate within the system as wellas with external addresses. An exemplary screenshot of a message centerscreen is shown in FIG. 7B

[0344] Other unique features include the ability to require responsesfrom recipients, create action item messages and RFI messages.

[0345] Just as in any other messaging tool, a user may create, view,send, reply and attach files to messages. There is also an address bookfunction available that a user may create individual users as well asgroups of users for mail distribution

[0346] System Operation

[0347]FIG. 10 shows a general relationship of the system tools and howthey interact to modify data in the database. FIGS. 11-22 provide a itemspecification workflow example, and illustrate how parties use thesystem of the present invention to design, manage and build assets.

[0348] The interaction of the purchasing system and the life of data inthe system may be understood with reference to FIG. 10. Shown in FIG. 10is a general representation of the how data is modified during use ofthe system by respective tools used in the system. As shown therein, theCAD intelligence plug-in 1010 and the specification build tool 1012generally create, edit and delete data at the design phase of theproject. Data from these tools is stored in the property specificationsdatabase. The data from the property specifications database can be usedby the cost estimate tool 1032, budgeting tool 1034, contracting tool1036, payment tool 1038 and invoice tool 1040 to generate reports,contracts, payments and invoices, and such tools can be used to alsomodify data and return the modifications to the property specificationsdatabase. The Publish tool 1060 is used when data is ready for output tovendors, contractors and other bidders. Once published, a log of thestate of the data is taken, and added to a history file which isviewable in many of the tools of the system. The output of the publishtool is provided to the bid/RFQ tools 1062, the purchasing tools 1064and the shipping and receiving tools 1066, each of which can return datawhich may be modified in the property database only when a reviewinguser with authority approves of such modification.

[0349] FIGS. 11-22 are flowcharts and screen shots showing howcomponents of the system interact to use an item specification.

[0350]FIG. 11 is an overview diagram of the life of an itemspecification used in the system of the present invention. An item isany definable (in this case, drawn) object that is associated with avirtual area (physical space) and can be purchased. The purpose of thisapproach is to allow items to be defined, accounted for within a budget,and purchased through the system. Item Specs are objects that havedetailed (or specified) requirements within a project. These are objectsthat are defined, budgeted, purchased, and then delivered to the projectsite.

[0351] The example of an item specification used herein is an officechair, which is defined by attributes associated with that chair, suchas the design, size, color, manufacturer and occasionally the cost. Itemspecifications can have components or attributes that further define theitem specification.

[0352] The fabric can be a component of the chair, but it is also aseparate item spec. When creating item specs, the attributes need to bedefined along with any components that need to be associated with thatitem spec. Components may be included in the CAD drawing, or can bespecified independently.

[0353] The lifecycle of an item specification begins with the drawingbeing uploaded to the system with the components previously defined. Thedefined item specification and its components can be defined andassociated using the CAD Intelligence plug in. The item specificationcan then flow through the rest of the lifecycle processes. The flowchartbelow provides a high level description of the lifecycle of the itemspec.

[0354] The first step in the Item Spec Lifecycle can be to upload thedrawing containing the item specification and its components to avirtual area (physical space) through the CAD Intelligence Interface at1110. Note that Specs can also be defined by the specification tool.

[0355] Next, at 1112, the Virtual Area Spec List page displays the itemsdrawn and the status of each item. When the drawing is uploaded the ItemSpec List displays the number of specs in each status.

[0356] Next, at step 1114, the item is specified. This is accomplishedthrough the Item Spec Wizard, which may, for example, be accessedthrough a hyperlink to an item number displayed in an html page showinga specification list.

[0357] After accessing the item number the Item Spec Wizard allows theitem to be specified or revised. Any information that was defined forthis item specification using the CAD Intelligence Interface or the ItemSpecification Tool displays in the Item Spec Wizard.

[0358] The Item Spec Wizard process flow is shown in FIG. 12. The ItemSpecs Wizard contains a general information page 1216 which allows thedrawn item specification to be associated with an item in an onlinecatalog created by the company and assigns this item to a budget code.

[0359] One option of the general properties page allows the user toassign a budget code to the item specification to track the cost andstatus of the item specification via a Budget Code Search page andsearch for the existing budget code for that item.

[0360] Once the system has returned the appropriate budget code it maybe assigned to the item spec by user action. This action returns theuser to the Item Spec Wizard-General Properties page. An example of thispage is shown in FIG. 13. Pages shown in FIGS. 13A-13O generallycorrespond to each box in FIG. 12. Each page is designed to lead a usersequentially through the item set up process in the wizard. Thissequence is presented in FIG. 12. The user then needs to navigate to thenext step in the process, which is defining the item specification'sattributes.

[0361] On attributes page 1218 (FIG. 13A) allows Attributes to bedefined to specify an item. Attributes include color, size, shape,distributor, vendors, contacts, etc. Defining these attributes ensuresthe correct item specification is bid, purchased and ordered for theproject.

[0362] Searches for users 1220, companies 1222, and vendors 1224 may beused in entering attributes for the components. Vendors may be added1226 at this stage as well, and vendor information for existing vendorsretrieved for added vendors 1228.

[0363] Components 1230 (FIG. 13C) are child item specifications andassociated with a parent item specification. In this case, the componentis the fabric for the office chair. The components may be associatedwith the item specification in this process. Components must alreadyexist in the system in order to associate them to an item specification.The user must also have the appropriate access to locate and view theseitem specifications.

[0364] Because the drawing listed the fabric as a component thisinformation displays on the Components page. This process allows you toadd more than one component that may have been previously specified butnot included on the drawing.

[0365] If the user determines another fabric component needs to be addedto the chair, the Items Search page 1232 (FIG. 13D) is accessed tolocate other components of fabric for selection.

[0366] After the component(s) have been searched, selected and acceptedthe Item Spec Wizard displays the newly added component(s) and allowsthe user to edit, remove or save the information (FIG. 13F).

[0367] Next vendor notes 1240 (FIG. 13G) may be optionally added. Theseinclude any notes to the vendor(s) about the item specification. Theseare not required in order to specify the item, but are available as amatter of convenience.

[0368] The user may locate and select prefabricated notes for thisprocess. The company creating the item specification defines these notesin another process. The user may also type and format the notes to thevendor.

[0369] Next user notes 1250 (FIG. 13H) may be provided in order toaccommodate and support internal processes for the company creating theitem specification. The user may include internal notes that are notavailable to anyone without the designated permissions to access thesenotes.

[0370] The cost definition 1260 (FIG. 13I) is a required process of thesystem. The next required step is defining the virtual area associationand the cost of the item. This information is required for RFQ(requesting quotes), Bids, and Purchase Orders. As shown therein, itemsmay be added 1260-2, deleted 1260-3, and transferred 1260-4 to theproject budget.

[0371] Once this information is defined, the system transfers, tracks,and calculates the appropriate cost of each item and its component(s).This process allows the user to choose whether to calculate the cost ofthe component as one rolled up cost 1260-1 or as a separate item.

[0372] Typically, if the item and the component are purchased together,such as the chair being sold with its component fabric alreadyinstalled, then the component should be calculated as a rolled up cost.If the item and its component are purchased separately, such as when thefabric is not being installed on the chair by the vendor, then the itemcosts should be calculated as separate items.

[0373] Another available feature of this page is the association of theitem specification to the virtual area. The user may specify thequantity of item specifications for each virtual area. The user mayaccess the virtual area page (FIG. 13J) to specify the quantities foreach area of the property or project.

[0374] If the quantity of this item specification is increased ordecreased, the system recalculates the costs and displays theappropriate amount.

[0375] Any calculated costs can then be transferred into the budget1260-4 and calculated as pending cost or revenue. The Costs page alsohas a unique function allowing the user to view the details of each itemspecification per virtual area as shown in FIG. 13A.

[0376] Next, a user can display the history of the Item Spec at 1270(FIG. 13L). The history in this example is non-existent because the itemspecification has not yet been published. The history of an itemspecification does not begin until its first publication. Until thattime, any changes made to the item specification are considered “Work InProgress”.

[0377] After the item specification has been published, any changes thenbecome an official revision and are tracked and available for display.This page will be revisited later in this document to show the historyof an item specification after the publication.

[0378] The next step in the Item Spec Wizard is defining preferences1274 (FIG. 13M). Defining preferences allows users to determine thebehavior of the item specification and the method of calculations forfuture processes within the item specification lifecycle. Thepreferences default to the calculation of the quantity of itemspecifications specified in the system minus the quantity of itemspecifications purchased. This provides the proper calculations of itemspecifications that do not include the quantity of item specificationsincluded within a drawing.

[0379] The user does have the option of specifying whether they wouldprefer the quantity of item specifications calculated by the quantitydisplayed in the drawing multiplied by the designated virtual areamultiplier (usually 1) minus the quantity of item specificationspurchased.

[0380] The other information that may be defined in this step of theprocess is the waste factor. The waste factor is the quantity of theitem specification that should be included in the cost, quoting, biddingand purchasing processes due to a certain amount of loss that may occurduring the assemble or installation of the item specification.

[0381] For example, if the user orders a chair with fabric as thecomponent, the user may need to calculate a specific or percentage ofthat fabric that will go to waste when assembling the chair. In thiscase it was calculated that 10% of this item specification will go towaste and should be calculated into the cost and quantity of the itemspecification.

[0382] The Spec Wizard also provides a report view 1276 (FIG. 13N). Thispage is a view of the item specification report that summarizes all ofthe specifications defined for this item specification. This isavailable for the user to review before publishing or finishing the itemspecification.

[0383] Finally, an attachments process 1280 (FIG. 13O) allows the userto attach any images or documents to the item specification. Theseattachments are available for any user that accesses the itemspecification, such as through a RFQ (Request for Quote), bid, orpurchase order.

[0384] This process allows you to either search the system forpreviously uploaded images and documents or to attach files from theuser's local drive (personal computer or local network). This page alsoallows users to upload images or documents from their local drive toattach to the item specification. Once the files have been attached tothe item specification, the specifying step is complete. The Item SpecList shows that the item specification has not only been drawn but isalso specified in the system.

[0385] Returning to FIG. 11, once the specification wizard is completed,at step 1116, the item specification is then published. Publishing anitem specification allows the item specification to be quoted,qualified, bid and purchased. This status indicates the item is nolonger a draft (Work In Progress) version. To accomplish publishing, auser screen allows the user to select one or more specifications to bepublished and initiate publishing by selecting a “publish” button.

[0386] If the item specification has components associated, then thecomponents need to be published as well. To locate the itemspecifications that have a status of “Work In Progress” the user may usean accompanying search tool. Publishing of more than one itemspecification creates a specification book for the project. Aspecification book is a counted list of all published specifications.

[0387] The publishing process requires a publishing date, which defaultsto the current date, and a publishing number, which allows users tolocate all of the item specifications published at this time and is usedfor tracking purposes.

[0388] If the user determines that some of the item specificationsselected for this publication are not ready, they may be removed fromthe publishing process before the user publishes.

[0389] A confirmation message displays, confirming the itemspecifications have been successfully published and the specificationbook is created.

[0390] After the item specifications have been published, they may berevised to change the attributes or define further details for the item.This status is referred to as a revision. Revisions are tracked toensure the most recent version of the item is used and allows theability to revert to a previous version, if applicable.

[0391] Once the item specifications have been published, thespecification book may be accessed and viewed from a report viewer page.

[0392] Returning to FIG. 11, following publishing, the users may eitherrequest quotation (RFQ) or Bid Items to vendors. A “Request for Quote”(RFQ) is a solicitation for vendors to submit proposed costs for aproject to the requestor in a competitive process. Requesting quotes isa common business practice as a means of evaluating suppliers of goods.The process described here illustrates the automation of the RFQrequest, RFQ response, RFQ review, and RFQ award activities for an itemspecification.

[0393] The RFQ request activity is initiated with the RFQ PackageWizard. This is a set of programmatically connected pages, which: createthe RFQ data structure in the computer system; indicate the date thequote is due from the quoting vendors; select which vendors to which itwill be sent; define the item specifications to be quoted; and allowattachments to be associated with the RFQ. These documents provideinformation to the quoting vendors about the item specifications theywill be pricing.

[0394] The RFQ process is comprised of a Request, Review and Response. Arequest is initiated by a company user responsible for procurement,while review and responses may be completed by vendors and contractors.FIGS. 14-17 show the Request, Review and Response proven flows. Theactual page displays of the Request, Review and Response are configuredin a manner similar to those set forth above with respect to the ItemSpec Wizard. Like the Wizard each page is a series of steps to besequentially taken by a user to complete the task. These steps are setforth in the figures.

[0395] As shown in FIG. 14, the Request Wizard begins by importing theRFQ from the publisher. The RFQ Description step 1410 provides the userwith the means to create the RFQ request. The user provides the RFQname, description, and a contact name.

[0396] The RFQ Description page 1410 also contains a unique RFQ number.This is assigned by the system and is a sequentially incrementedcompound number. The number can be composed of several differentcomponents, such as the project number, or the company number, or otheruser-defined attributes.

[0397] The RFQ Description page 1410 also provides the user with theability to create a sub-RFQ. If the user is a sub-contractor and wantsto contract all or a portion of the RFQ to another entity, they canimport the contents of another RFQ into the new RFQ they are creating.They can then add, change, or remove items from the sub-RFQ. This isquicker and easier than having to manually re-enter all of the itemsfrom the original contractor's RFQ. The contact list for the RFQ isprovided to the RFQ description.

[0398] The RFQ Items List is used to attach a list of itemspecifications to the RFQ package. Item specifications are typically thelist of materials you require in the project, along with the criteriafor which specific items will suit the project requirements. Forexample: instead of simply indicating a need for chairs, the user mightspecify a particular type of chair, from a specific manufacturer, madeof a specific type of material, and so forth. The item specificationoutlines all of these requirements and the quantity of the itemrequired. The Item Specifications within a virtual area 1416 are fed tothe item list 1414.

[0399] The RFQ Attachments step 1418 allows the user to attach files tothe RFQ. To use attachments on this page, the file has to already beuploaded to the system. A file search process 1420 is provided toprovide uploaded files to be selected.

[0400] The RFQ Cost Form page 1422 is used to attach a list ofanticipated cost items to the RFQ. The user can import a bill ofmaterials from the Item List or manually add items to this page, or acombination of the two methods. For each item indicated on this page,the user indicates which breakdown type(s) they require for the itemspecification. The information for each item is arranged in a set ofrows and columns, similar to a spreadsheet.

[0401] Next, the user selects Vendors to indicate which vendors willreceive the RFQ package at 1424. Vendors can be selected manually via asearch 1428, or automatically included from previous qualifications1426.

[0402] The user may flag whether the vendor list will be published. Ifthe list is published, each vendor will know which vendors received theRFQ. If not, the vendors will not know what other vendors also weresolicited to quote and will be unaware of their competition.

[0403] Finally, RFQ “issue invitation” page allows the user to issue theRFQ package to the prospective vendors. Before doing so, the issue date,the date responses are due, and anticipated award date are indicated inthis step.

[0404] The ability to access a report from the RFQ Package Wizard isavailable in this process. The report function may be used on the RFQIssue Invitation page since all the information for the RFQ has beenentered and the RFQ package would be considered complete at this point.The report can be printed or saved to an Adobe Acrobat PDF fileformation for future use. A confirmation displays to inform the userthat the RFQ Package Request has been issued and published to theindicated vendors.

[0405]FIG. 15 shows the steps performed by a vendor who is a member ofthe system in performing an RFQ response.

[0406] The RFQ response activity is initiated when the RFQ package isissued. When the RFQ package is issued, the selected quoting vendorsreceive a message the next time they log into the system. This messagecontains a hypertext link to the RFQ Response Wizard.

[0407] Once the link is selected, the description page 1510 gives thequoting vendor an overview of the RFQ package and allows them to eitheraccept 1512 or decline 1514 the invitation to participate in this RFQ.

[0408] If the vendor decides to decline the RFQ invitation, there are nofurther steps necessary within the RFQ Response Wizard. A messagereturns to the RFQ package originator indicating this and the vendor isno longer considered for the RFQ.

[0409] If the vendor decides to accept the RFQ invitation andparticipate, they will use the rest of the RFQ Response Wizard to reviewthe RFQ requirements and form their response.

[0410] The RFQ Response Items List 1520 page is used to review the ItemList attached to the RFQ package. Each item specification listed on thispage may be viewed in detail by accessing the item Name link on the ItemList Page. The page allows generation of reports 1522 in a PDF fileformat 1524.

[0411] Next, an RFQ Response Attachments page 1530 allows the vendoraccess to the files attached to the RFQ. They can either download thefiles for use in their own systems, or they can simply view and printthem with the built-in file viewer.

[0412] A RFQ response cost form 1534 is the first interactive pageaccessible to the user.

[0413] Up to this point, all the pages in the RFQ Response Wizard havebasically been “view-only” pages. The RFQ Response Cost Form is a pagewhere the quoting vendor actually enters their proposed cost for eachitem of the RFQ package. For each of the breakdown categories of eachitem, the vendor types in their response in the Qty, Units, Unit Cost,Labor Rate, Hours, and Lump Sum columns.

[0414] An optional request for information generator 1540 is provided.In the course of responding to the RFQ, the vendor may have questions. Avendor can use the RFQ Response RFI (Request for Information) page togenerate messages 1542 to various users in the system. These aremessages to various users that request some type of informationnecessary to respond to the RFQ. For example, the vendor may havequestions to the RFQ originator to clarify certain points about the RFQ.Or the vendor may have questions for their suppliers or associates.

[0415] This page lists all requests for information relating to the RFQ.The vendor can create new messages 1542, view existing messages 1546,and reply to existing messages 1548. The Request for Information pageworks in accordance with standard e-mail application paradigms.

[0416] Finally, RFQ Response Issue page 1550 allows the vendor to issuetheir response to the RFQ request. The response information is sent backto the user that originated the RFQ request.

[0417] A RFQ Confirmation may be displayed to notify the user that theRFQ Package Response has been published.

[0418] The process for reviewing an RFQ once received by the originatinguser is shown in FIG. 16. The RFQ review activity is initiated with theRFQ Package Review Wizard. This is a set of programmatically connectedpages, which: receive the responses from each responding vendor; comparethe item breakdown from each responding vendor in a side-by-side manner;select one or more vendors to whom to award the RFQ; award the RFQ tothe selected vendor(s); and optionally create the purchase order for theitems quoted.

[0419] The RFQ Package Review Wizard can be accessed from a link 1605 inthe RFQ Response message from one of the responding vendors, or from theRFQ Search page 1612.

[0420] When a vendor issues their response to the RFQ, a message comesback to the originator of the RFQ package. This message contains a linkin it that can be used to see the vendor's response.

[0421] A RFQ Package Review Wizard Summary 1610 is the first step in thereview process and summarizes the RFQ package. Addenda and bulletins1614 from the originator of the RFQ may be provided at 1614 and areadded to the Bid Package Wizard 1618 (described below).

[0422] An RFI 1620, similar to the Response RFI, allows originatorsreviewing the RFQ response to ask questions of the Quoting vendors. Theuser can issue requests for information (RFI) from this page.

[0423] Page 1620 lists all requests for information relating to the RFQ.The vendor can create new messages 1622, view existing messages 1626,and reply to existing messages 1628. The Request for Information pageworks like standard e-mail applications.

[0424] A RFQ Package Review Cost Analysis page 1630 allows the user toreview the quoting vendors' responses and compare them. This page isalso where the RFQ may be awarded. The RFQ can be awarded to a singlevendor, or it can be split among two or more vendors. A purchase ordercan also be automatically generated for the quoted materials.

[0425] This page shows a table of the vendors who have providedresponses. The table lists the breakdown items in the first column andinformation from each of the vendors in the subsequent columns.

[0426] The individual breakdown of each item can be viewed in moredetail by selecting a hyperlink of the item name 1636. The RFQ PackageWizard Review window displays for the selected breakdown item. Thiswindow shows the breakdown values for each of the vendors forside-by-side comparison. To review the detail of each item, the user canaccess the price link under a specific vendor. The RFQ Analysis ItemDetail window displays for the selected item. A RFQ Package ReviewComments page 1634 is used to view the RFQ response comments from thevendor.

[0427] To award the RFQ, the user finishes reviewing the vendors'responses, decides on which vendor to accept, then clicks the checkboxunder the selected vendor. Or, the user can split the award and selectindividual items from different vendors. Then, they award the RFQ to theselected vendor(s).

[0428] The Award Preview Screen page 1640 displays and allows the userto determine whether to simply award the quote or to award it andautomatically generate PO(s) (purchase orders).

[0429] When the RFQ is awarded, the award confirmation 1642 displays.

[0430] The vendor(s) awarded the RFQ receives a message 1644 informingthem that they have been awarded specific items for the RFQ and statesthe cost and quantity of each item.

[0431] After the RFQ is awarded to one or more vendors, the informationfrom the original RFQ request and the vendors' responses feed into thePurchase Order process. The last tab on the RFQ Review Wizard is“Purchase Order”; this page is the same as the first page of thePurchase Order module.

[0432] Returning to FIG. 11, the alternative to an RFQ is a bid request.A “bid” is a solicitation for vendors to submit proposed costs for aproject to the requestor in a competitive process. Bidding is a commonbusiness practice in the design-build industries.

[0433] The Bid process shown in FIGS. 17-19 illustrates the automationof the bid request, bid response, bid review, and bid award activities.

[0434] The bid request activity is initiated with a Bid Package Wizardshown in FIG. 17. Again, the wizard is a set of programmaticallyconnected pages, which: create the bid data structure in the computersystem; indicate the date it is due from the bidding vendors; selectwhich vendors it will be sent to; define the items to be bid; and allowdrawings, specifications, and attachments to be associated with the bid.These documents provide information to the bidding vendors about theitems they will be pricing.

[0435] The Bid Request begins with a bid report 1702. A Bid Descriptionpage 1710 provides the user with the means to create the bid request.The user provides a bid name, description, contract type, and estimatedbid price. The user also indicates the bidder selection type and whattype of bid. The user may indicate that the bid is a “sealed” bid. Asealed bid is basically the same as a regular open bid, except it cannotbe reviewed until after the due date. This prevents the reviewer fromseeing early responses and possibly tainting the competitive biddingprocess with this advance knowledge.

[0436] The Bid Description page 1710 also contains a unique bid number.This is assigned by the system and is a sequentially incrementedcompound number. The number can be composed of several differentcomponents, such as the project number, or the company number, or otheruser-defined attributes.

[0437] The Bid Description page 1710 also provides the user with theability to create a sub-bid. If the user is a sub-contractor and wantsto contract all or a portion of the bid to another entity, they canimport the contents of another bid into the new bid they are creating.They can then add, change, or remove items from the sub-bid. This isquicker and easier than having to manually re-enter all of the itemsfrom the original contractor's bid. The contact person or list 1714 forthe bid is imported into the bid description.

[0438] A Special Bid Instructions page 1712 provides the user with theability to communicate special instructions to the bidders via a textmessage. This page is also the entry point into a meeting scheduler thatcan be used to schedule various meetings between the requestor and theinvited bidder vendors.

[0439] A Meeting Information page 1718 displays in a separate programwindow. It provides the means to enter the information for a specificmeeting. The page allows the user to give the meeting a name, assign adate and time to the meeting, and indicate the location of the meeting.The meeting can also be designated as mandatory, optional, or suggested.Company address information may be imported into meeting information1716.

[0440] Next, a Bid Drawings page 1720 allows the user to attachcomputer-aided drafting (CAD) drawing files to the bid. The items beingbid could be as small as a single component part or as large as a shipor building or aircraft. For the vendor to adequately bid on theitem(s), they need as much information as possible about the item(s).Having access to the CAD drawings with the original bid request is alarge logistical and planning advantage.

[0441] The fact that the drawings can be attached to the request andsent to all the bidders at once simplifies the bid process and reducesmailing costs.

[0442] A Bid Specifications page 1730 allows the user to attach wordprocessing files to the bid. These files are intended to containspecifications for the items to be bid. The items being bid could be assmall as a single component part or as large as a ship or building oraircraft. For the vendor to adequately bid on the item(s), they need asmuch information as possible about the item(s). Having access to thespecifications documents with the original bid request is a largelogistical and planning advantage.

[0443] The fact that the specifications can be attached to the requestand sent to all the bidders at once simplifies the bid process andreduces mailing costs.

[0444] Next, a Bid Item List 1732 is used to attach a list of items tothe bid package. These are items that already exist in the system andwhich have been defined in the Item Specification process. Itemspecifications are typically the list of materials you require in theproject, along with the criteria for what specific items will suit theproject requirements.

[0445] For example: instead of indicating a need for chairs, the usermight specify a particular type of chair, from a specific manufacturer,made of a specific type of material, etc. The item spec outlines all ofthese requirements and the quantity of the item required. The item listcan be generated from Items specifications using a virtual area search1734.

[0446] Next, a Bid Attachments page 1740 allows the user to attach filesto the bid. These files are intended to be miscellaneous files notcovered in the Bid Drawing and Bid Specifications pages.

[0447] A Bid Alternates page 1750 allows the user to create one or moreuniquely named and numbered alternates to the base bid. Each alternatehas its own set of drawings 1746, specifications 1748, item lists 1756,and attachments 1764. Attaching these to an alternate is similar toattaching them to the base bid (including a virtual area search 1758),except separate program pages are used.

[0448] This page is only used when there are alternate requirements.This page is optional—a bid package does not have to have alternatesdefined.

[0449] An alternate might be indicated when the project design is notfinalized and the user wishes to consider two or more designs. Theydefine one design with the base bid and the other design(s) with bidalternates. The bidding vendors can then provide their bids for each ofthe alternates as well as the base bid.

[0450] A Bid Cost Form 1750 is used to attach a list of anticipated costitems to the bid. The user can import a bill of materials from the ItemList page specified earlier or manually add items to this page, or acombination of the two methods. For each item indicated on this page,the user indicates what breakdown type(s) they require for the item.

[0451] The user may import the item specifications from the Items Listor manually add blank lines and fill in the item information. Theinformation for each item is arranged in a set of rows and columns,similar to a spreadsheet.

[0452] A separate, Choose Breakdown Type page (not shown in FIG. 12) maybe used to select which breakdown types to specify for the bid. Thispage is accessed in a separate window when the user imports the itemspecifications on the Bid Cost Form. These are the six possible valuesthe bidders may have to provide for the bid items.

[0453] Selecting Vendors is accomplished using Invite Vendors page 1760,wherein the user can indicate which vendors will receive this bidpackage. Vendors can be selected manually 1734, or automatically 1752included from previous qualifications. The user may indicate whether thevendor list will be published. If the list is published, each vendorwill know who received the bid. If not, the vendors will not know theother vendors solicited to bid and will be unaware of their competition.

[0454] Finally, the user issues a Bid Issue Invitation 1765 before thebid package is issued to the prospective bidders, the issue date, thedate responses are due, and anticipated award date are indicated on thispage. This is a Report function available from each of the pages in theBid Package Wizard. The report function will most likely be used on theBid Issue Invitation page since all the information for the bid has beenentered and the bid package would be considered complete at this point.The report can be printed or it can be saved to an Adobe Acrobat PDFfile formation for future use. If the bid is a sealed bid, it will notbe able to be reviewed until after the bid due date and time indicatedon this page. An invitation goes out to the vendor 1770 and aconfirmation displays indicating that a Bid Package Request has beenissued and published to the indicated vendors.

[0455] Once the Bid Invitation goes out, a bid response activity isinitiated. The Bid Response is shown in FIG. 18. After the bid packageis issued, there is no way to make changes to it without issuing anaddendum. The selected bidding vendors receive a message the next timethey log into the system. This message contains a link 1802 to the BidResponse Wizard.

[0456] A Bid Response Description page 1810 gives the bidding vendors anoverview of the bid package and allows them to either accept or declinethe invitation to participate in this bid.

[0457] If the vendor decides to decline the bid invitation 1814, thereis no further work done with the Bid Response Wizard. A message returnsto the bid package originator indicating the decline and the vendor isno longer considered for the bid.

[0458] If the vendor accepts the bid invitation 1812 and participatesthey will use the rest of the Bid Response Wizard to review the bidrequirements and form their response.

[0459] A Response to Bid Drawings page 1820 allows the vendor access tothe drawings attached to the bid. They can either download the drawingsfor use in their own CAD systems, or they can simply view and print themwith the built-in file viewer 1832.

[0460] Next, a Bid Response Specifications page 1822 allows the vendoraccess to the specification documents attached to the bid. Vendors caneither download the document files for use in their own systems, or theycan simply view and print them with the built-in file viewer 1832.

[0461] A Bid Response Items List page 1824 allows the user to review theItem List attached to the bid package.

[0462] Each item specification listed may be viewed in detail byselecting the item Name hyperlink. The detailed specifications for eachitem then displays.

[0463] A Bid Response Attachments page 1830 allows the vendor access tothe files attached to the bid. They can either download the file for usein their own systems, or they can simply view and print them with thebuilt-in file viewer 1832.

[0464] A Bid Response Alternates page 1840 is used to view anyalternates attached to the bid package. If there are no alternates onthe bid package, this page is blank. There can be one or more alternateson a bid. If so, they are listed sequentially on this page.

[0465] For each of the possible alternates, the bidding vendor canreview the drawings, specifications, bill of materials, and attachmentsby accessing the links to view or download each.

[0466] Next, a Bid Response Cost Form 1850 is the first interactive pagefor the vendor. Up to this point, all the pages in the Bid ResponseWizard have basically been “view-only” pages. The Bid Response Cost Formis a page where the bidding vendor enters their proposed cost for eachitem of the bid package.

[0467] For each of the breakdown categories of each item, the vendortypes in their response in the Qty, Units, Unit Cost, Labor Rate, Hours,and Lump Sum columns.

[0468] Next, a Bid Response Review Addenda page 1852 is used to displayprevious versions of the bid, if applicable. Once a bid has been issued,the only way the issuing user can make changes to it is to issue an“addenda.” The addenda looks just like the base bid and responding tothe addenda is identical to responding to the base bid.

[0469] If an addendum has been issued for a bid, this page allows thevendor to see the previous versions of the bid for reference purposes.

[0470] Each bid can have one or more addenda. Addenda are listedsequentially here by Change number. The initial bid is always listed asChange number 0 (zero). To view a previous version of the bid, thevendor accesses the desired Change number.

[0471] Like the RFQ process, in the course of responding to a bid, thevendor may have questions. Use the Bid Response RFI (Request forInformation) page 1860 to generate messages to various users in thesystem. These are messages to various users that request some type ofinformation necessary to respond to the bid. For example, the vendor mayhave questions to the bid originator to clarify certain points about thebid. Or the vendor may have questions for their suppliers or associates.

[0472] This page lists all requests for information relating to the bid.The vendor can create new messages, view existing messages, and reply toexisting messages. The Request for Information page works like standarde-mail applications. To create a new message, the user may “Generate NewRFI” from this page.

[0473] A Bid Response Issue page 1870 allows the user to issue theresponse to the bid request. The response information is sent back tothe user that originated the bid request.

[0474] A Bid Confirmation page displays confirming a Bid PackageResponse has been published.

[0475] Like the RFQ process, the final step of the Bid Process isselecting and awarding a bid-characterized by a Bid Review process.

[0476] The bid review activity is initiated with the Bid Package ReviewWizard. Shown in FIG. 19, this is a set of programmatically connectedpages, which: receive the responses from each responding vendor; comparethe item breakdown from each responding vendor in a side-by-side manner;select one or more vendors to whom to award the bid; and award the bidto the selected vendor(s).

[0477] The Bid Package Review Wizard can be accessed from a link 1902 ina Bid Response message from one of the responding vendors, or from theBid Search page 1912.

[0478] When a vendor issues their response to the bid, a message comesback to the originator of the bid package. This message contains a linkin it that can be used to see the vendor's response. If the bid is asealed bid, the bid cannot be reviewed until after the date and timeindicated as the Bid Due Date and Time on the original Bid RequestWizard Issue Invitation page.

[0479] A Bid Package Review Wizard Summary page summarizes theinformation in the bid package.

[0480] Next, any Response Review Addenda pages may be reviewed. Althoughnot shown in FIG. 19, these steps are similar to those set forth abovein FIG. 16 with respect to the RFQ.

[0481] A page is used to issue changes (addenda) to the original bidpackage. To issue an addendum, the user enters a type of changedescription and then adds the addenda to the bid. The same process isused to create the bid addenda as was used to create the initial bid.When the bid addenda is issued, this page redisplays with the addendalisted as a change. Each subsequent addendum is assigned a separatechange number. The vendors listed on the bid will receive a messagetelling them that the addendum has been issued. This message has “BidAddendum” as the subject.

[0482] Next, Bid Review RFI is allowed using an RFI page 1920. The usercan issue requests for information (RFI) from this page which lists allrequests for information relating to the bid. The vendor can create newmessages, view existing messages, and reply to existing messages. TheRequest for Information page works like standard e-mail applications.

[0483] Next, a Bid Package Review Cost Analysis 1930 allows the user toreview the bidding vendors' responses and create a comparison. The usermay also award the bid. A bid can be awarded to a single vendor, or itcan be split between two or more vendors.

[0484] A Bid Package Review Comments page 1932 is used to view the bidresponse comments from the vendor.

[0485] This page shows a table of the vendors who have providedresponses. The table lists the breakdown items in the first column andinformation from each of the vendors in the subsequent columns. Theindividual breakdown of each item specification can be viewed in moredetail by clicking on the item name hyperlink. This window shows thebreakdown values for each of the bidders for side-by-side comparison.

[0486] To review the detail of each item, the user may access the pricelink under a specific bidder. The Bid Analysis Item Detail windowdisplays for the selected item specification.

[0487] To award the bid, the user completes the reviewing process anddetermines which vendor to accept. When the user awards the bid to theselected vendor(s), the Award Preview Screen 1940 displays. Aconfirmation displays acknowledging the bid package has been awarded.

[0488] The vendor(s) awarded the bid receive a notification in theirmessage center 1946. The message informs them that they have beenawarded specific item specifications for the bid and states the cost andquantity of each item.

[0489] Referring again to FIG. 11, the RFQ or Bid generates a need for aPurchase Order. A purchase order is a financial agreement between thebuyer and the vendor to purchase specified items. The purchase ordercontains billing, terms, items, cost, shipping, legalese, notes, andpayment information. This purchase order can be created as a standaloneprocess or be initiated automatically from the RFQ (Request for Quote)or Bid processes.

[0490] A purchase order process flow is shown in FIG. 20. A GeneralPurchase Order Information page 2002 (illustrated in FIG. 21) allows theuser to specify some general information for the purchase order. Thevendor that was awarded the RFQ (Request for Quote) or Bid is the vendorthat displays below. The company's billing and shipping addressinformation will be sent to that vendor. Other information available forclarification would be the (billing) Terms, Term notes, and specialshipping notes or instructions.

[0491] A Line Items page 2004 allows the user to include the itemspecification(s) that need to be purchased. The system allows the userto select one or multiple item specifications for this purchase order.The system automatically calculates the cost of the item specifications(calculations transferred from the Item Spec Wizard), and includes thecost of shipping and any applicable tax (defined in this process). Thereare several ways in which to include item specifications into a purchaseorder: multiple item specifications may be added at one time, each itemspecification may be added manually, or item specifications may be addedone at a time while defining the details for each item. For thisexample, the multiple item specification search will be used and thendefining the details will follow. The user may search itemspecifications based on the Item Number, Item Name, Classification, andSpec Book Publish Date.

[0492] After the item specifications are selected and accepted, the LineItems page calculates the cost and allows the user to define the detailsof each item specification, if necessary.

[0493] A Line Item Details page 2044 may define the details of each itemspecification. This process is accessed through the line item numberlink and typically used only if the details are different between itemspecifications. The purchase order process allows a user to issue thepurchase order after the item specifications have been included. Therest of the steps discussed from this point until the purchase order isissued are optional.

[0494] Once the Line Items Details page is accessed, the user may defineany details that are specific to this item specification. This includesany associations to virtual areas, the quantity ordered, tax, shippingand adding any attachments for the vendor individually related to onlythe item specification.

[0495] This process allows a user to save the details of each itemspecification and return to the Line Items page or add the next new itemspecification to the purchase order and define the details.

[0496] An Attachments page 2006 allows attachment manipulation. Afterthe item specifications have been included and defined in the purchaseorder, the user may want to include attachments for the vendor. Theseattachments will be available for the vendor to view upon receipt ofthis purchase order. These attachments must have been previouslyuploaded to the system in order to attach them to the purchase order.The user accesses the File Search tool 2014 to locate files within thesystem's database.

[0497] Once the files are selected and accepted, the files display onthe Attachments page exactly as they will appear to the vendor. The filename is a link to a viewer for the vendor to view the attached files.

[0498] A Notes to Vendor page 2008 allows the user to include any legalterms, billing information or special instructions 2016 for the vendor.The user also has the option of selecting a prefabricated 2018(previously defined by the company) note for the purchase order.

[0499] A “Legalese” page 2010 allows the user to include standard termsand conditions that will display to the vendor when they receive thepurchase order. This information will be available to the vendor whenthey review the purchase order to approve or decline the purchaserequest. The legal term displayed below was automatically transferred todisplay on this page. The company previously defined the legal term forthe purchase order process. The company may also determine whether thepurchasing agent should have the ability to add any additionalinformation or if this page should be display only.

[0500] A User Notes page 2012 is an internal process page, meaning thevendor does not receive this portion when the purchase order is issued.The user may determine which internal users will be able to view theuser note during its creation. Public notes can be viewed by anyone withaccess to the purchase order (this is the default value). A Private notecan only be viewed by its creator. Company notes can be seen by anyonein the user's company. After the note is added it will be available tothe designated users with access to this purchase order.

[0501] The last step in the purchase order process is issuing thepurchase order. Depending upon the user's approval and purchasingauthority, the purchase order is either issued to the next user with ahigher level of purchasing authority or directly to the vendor.

[0502] This example will assume the user had the purchasing authorityand the purchase order is issued to the vendor. The purchase orderdisplays in a report format for the user to review the information sentto the vendor.

[0503] A Purchase Order Review page 2052 is only available to the buyeror user that created the purchase order. This view allows the user tosave the purchase order in a file on their local drive to use for theirrecord or for printing purposes.

[0504] A History page 2056 allows the user to track the history orstatus of the purchase order. A User Notes pate 2054 allows the user toreview any notes that were created for this purchase order. These notesare not included with the issued purchase order. A RFI (Request forInformation) page 2058 allows the buyer to send an RFI to the vendor.The vendor usually initiates this process.

[0505] Once issued, the vendor has the ability to approve the PurchaseOrder, as part of the item specification lifecycle performed by thevendor. The vendor receives the purchase order request through theMessaging tool in the system. When the vendor accesses their messagecenter, the notification message for the purchase order displays. Thisnotification displays a link for the vendor to access their version ofthe purchase order for review and acceptance.

[0506] This process is similar to many of the aforementioned processesand again comprises a set of programmable linked pages, hereinafterdescribed. A purchase orders Approval Preview page allows the vendor toview and print the purchase order request. This process allows thevendor to review the entire purchase order request to determine whetherthey should approve or decline the order. In this case, the vendorapproves the order after reviewing the entire purchase order.

[0507] A Purchase Order History page allows the vendor to view thehistory of the purchase order to ensure they have the most recent orderfor approval. This history also provides the contact name of the userthat created the purchase order, in the event the vendor may have anyquestions. Once the vendor approves or declines the purchase order, thisaction and status is also logged in the history. This function preventsthe vendor from approving or declining the order more than once andimproves the efficiency of the process. The History page is view only.The vendor cannot alter any information on this page.

[0508] A Purchase Order Buyer Attachments page allows the vendor toaccess the attachments process allowing them to download or view anyattachments to the purchase order. These attachments may containspecifications, requirements, images, etc.

[0509] Again, a Purchase Order RFI process is provided to allow thevendor to contact other users within the system to request informationor communicate directly to the buyer.

[0510] The vendor accesses the User Search page to locate a user withinthe system database to whom to send the RFI. The vendor may also selectusers to send a carbon copy of this message. The vendor may search forusers with any, or all of the following: first name, last name, e-mailaddress, phone number or company.

[0511] Once the users have been selected the vendor may add a subject tothe message and then type or paste text into the body of the message, asin the example below. When the message is completed, the vendor sendsthe message to all of the users selected.

[0512] A history of any RFIs sent from the vendor is captured, as wellas any responses received from the buyer. After the history of the RFIis captured, the vendor may view the details of that RFI through theRFI# link.

[0513] The RFI number link displays a details page for each RFIselected. This details page is displayed below.

[0514] When the vendor has completed reviewing all of the purchase orderinformation and has received responses to their RFIs, (if applicable)then the vendor may accept the purchase order.

[0515] All of these steps are optional. The vendor may accept or declinethe purchase order at any point in this process.

[0516] Next, the vendor must approve the Purchase Order. Again, as theprocess is similar to those illustrated above, it will be describedbelow. To accept the purchase order the vendor must access a PurchaseOrders Approval page allows the vendor to accept or decline the purchaseorder.

[0517] An Accepted Purchase Order Note page allows comment insertion bya vendor. After the purchase order has been accepted, the Approval Notepage displays. This step allows the vendor to comment or add notes tothe notification of approval to the buyer. These notes appear in themessage center for the buyer with the notification of the status of thepurchase order.

[0518] The buyer then receives a notification in the message centerregarding the status of the purchase order. In this case the purchaseorder has been approved and the buyer may review it for any necessarychanges or answer any RFIs sent from the vendor. Generally, this isperformed via the system Message Center. The buyer may review the statusof the purchase order in the message center. Typically the messagereceived appear as an email message including the purchase order number,vendor's name, amount and the status of the order. This information maybe used to search for the purchase order for review.

[0519] If the buyer would like to review the purchase order for the itemspecifications, the next step in this process is to search for thepurchase order. A Purchase Order Search page allows the buyer to searchfor purchase orders with any or all of the information provided withinthe notification message. The purchase order may be accessed through thePO Number link.

[0520] A Purchase Order Print Preview process is also provided. Thebuyer may create a change order for the purchase order at this time. Achange order is a revision to the original purchase order. The buyer maydetermine that additional information or new item specifications shouldbe added to the order or changes need to be made to existinginformation. This decision results in a change order. The system allowsthe buyer to access the change order process from this page.

[0521] A Purchase Order History page may be displayed in reviewing thepurchase order. The history displays the status changes that haveoccurred to this order since its creation. This step also allows thebuyer to access the change order process. The example below displays thestatus of the purchase order, showing a decline as well as anacceptance.

[0522] A Purchase Order User Notes page allows the buyer to review anyuser notes from this process. A user can access the details of existinguser notes through the Read Note link.

[0523] Also provided is a Purchase Order RFI page allowing the buyer tocontact other users within the system to request information orcommunicate directly to the vendor. The buyer accesses the User Searchpage to locate a user within the system database to whom to send theRFI. The buyer may also select users to send a carbon copy of thismessage. The buyer may search for users with any, or all of thefollowing: first name, last name, e-mail address, phone number orcompany. Once the users have been selected the buyer may add a subjectto the message and then type or paste text into the body of the message,as in the example below. When the message is completed, the buyer sendsthe message to all of the users selected.

[0524] Again, the history of any RFIs sent from the vendor and anyresponses received from the buyer is captured and displayed. After thehistory of the RFI is captured, the buyer may view the details of thatRFI through the RFI number link. The RFI number Link displays a detailspage for each RFI selected. This details page is displayed below.

[0525] All of these steps are optional. The buyer may determine tocreate a change order or end the review of the purchase order at anypoint in this process.

[0526] A Virtual Area—Item Spec List page displays the purchased statusfor the item specifications when this process is completed.

[0527]FIG. 22 shows the Shipping pages displayed to follow the shippingflow of purchased items.

[0528] After the vendor fulfills the purchase order 2210, the shippingnotification process begins. The user in charge of shipping for thatvendor may send the buyer a shipping notification. This process hasseveral advantages.

[0529] The purchase order is located automatically unless there is morethan one order from the same buyer. If there is more than one order, theuser has the option of selecting from just the orders from that buyer.If there is only one purchase order from that buyer, then the order isdisplayed automatically.

[0530] A Shipping Information Search page 2230 provides the ability toselect a purchase order if the vendor has received more than onepurchase order from the specified company. The vendor then selects thepurchase order containing the item specifications that are beingshipped.

[0531] A Shipment History Log page shows shipping history status. Oncethe purchase order is selected, the item specifications for that orderdisplay individually, allowing the vendor to send a partial or completeshipment. The item Name link allows the vendor to view a shipment logfor that item. The Shipment History Log tracks the quantity of the itemsshipped and the date they were shipped to the buyer. This is essentialinformation if the vendor has sent only a partial shipment.

[0532] Once the vendor has completed the shipping form, the systemconfirms that the shipment notification was successful.

[0533] Once shipped, a Buyer's Notification is sent. The buyer receivesa message in their message center notifying them that the itemspecifications on the purchase order have been shipped with the date andquantity of items included. The buyer may also verify the itemspecifications have been shipped by displaying the Item Spec List. Theshipped status displays for the quantity of items shipped.

[0534] A further process is provided for sending the ReceivingNotification. After the vendor ships the item specifications to thebuyer, the buyer may make create a notification of receipt when the itemspecifications are received. This process occurs only after the itemspecifications are received at the buyer's designated destination.

[0535] The buyer may access the receiving tool from the project page.This process is very similar to the shipping notification process. Thebuyer must locate the purchase order with the shipped items beforeprocessing the receiving notification.

[0536] If more than one purchase order has been accepted the ReceivingInformation Search page displays allowing the buyer to select thepurchase order with the items received.

[0537] A Receiving History Log is also provided. Then the buyer mayindicate how many of each item were received or if the entire shipmentwas received. If a partial shipment was received or if the buyer wouldlike to view the history of each item specification, the itemspecification Name is a link to the Receiving History Log. This logdisplays the quantity of items recorded as received and the date.

[0538] The system confirms the receiving notification has been sent andthe items have been tracked.

[0539] The item specification list now reflects that the itemspecifications have been received at their destination and the itemspecification lifecycle is complete.

[0540] Finally, the vendor receives the notification of the itemspecifications received, via the message center. An example of thereceipt notification is shown below.

[0541] Industrial Application

[0542] The system of the present invention provides a unique,comprehensive project management system. In one embodiment, the systemincludes an enterprise system, Application Service Providers (ASP)platform, and open architecture provides business-efficient toolsetsthat: allows multiple companies worldwide to participate in projects,automates and streamlines bidding and estimating processes, increasesthe accuracy and efficiency of purchasing, facilitates integration withexisting applications, provides simple but secure access over theInternet, and eliminates duplicate data entries. The system captures andmanages information throughout the design, build, and manage phases ofthe resulting asset. In a further unique feature of the invention, alldata is available in real-time and precise information throughout aproject's lifecycle. Even after an asset has been built, an owner orproperty manager can access the system to derive specific informationwithin a few seconds. This system can be applied to any number of designand build industries, including: Civil and Electrical Infrastructure;Telecom; Commercial, Residential, and Government Buildings;Manufacturing; Aerospace and Nautical applications; and Automobile,Railways, and Public Transportation projects.

[0543] The foregoing detailed description of the invention has beenpresented for purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthe above teaching. The described embodiments were chosen in order tobest explain the principles of the invention and its practicalapplication to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilizethe invention in various embodiments and with various modifications asare suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that thescope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for defining and managing an asset,comprising: a data store for virtual area data provided on a computercoupled to a network; and a data input and supplement toolset linkingvirtual area data to business objects.
 2. The system of claim 1 whereinthe virtual area data comprises data arranged in a hierarchical datastructure representing three-dimensional physical space.
 3. The systemof claim 2 wherein the virtual area data is linked to item specificationdata values comprising an item specification provided in a plurality ofdata fields describing the item.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein saiditem specification data includes: at least one attribute value; at leastone component value; and at least one allocation value.
 5. The system ofclaim 2 wherein the data input and supplement toolset comprises acomputer aided design software plug-in.
 6. The system of claim 2 whereinthe data input and supplement toolset comprises a item specificationcreation and editing tool.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the datainput and supplement toolset includes an item procurement toolset. 8.The system of claim 7 wherein the item procurement toolset includes abid tool.
 9. The system of claim 7 wherein the item procurement toolsetincludes a request for quotation tool.
 10. The system of claim 1 whereinthe data modification toolset includes a cost management toolset. 11.The system of claim 10 wherein the data input and supplement toolsetincludes an estimate tool.
 12. The system of claim 10 wherein the datainput and supplement toolset includes an invoice tool.
 13. The system ofclaim 10 wherein the data input and supplement toolset includes a budgettool.
 14. The system of claim 10 wherein the data input and supplementtoolset includes a payment tool.
 15. The system of claim 10 wherein thedata input and supplement toolset includes an contract tool.
 16. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein the data input and supplement toolset includesa teamwork toolset.
 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the projectteamwork toolset includes a collaboration tool.
 18. The system of claim16 wherein the project teamwork toolset includes a message center. 19.The system of claim 16 wherein the project teamwork toolset includes arequest for information tool.
 20. The system of claim 1 wherein theproject includes a design phase, a modification phase and a procurementphase, and data is entered and modified throughout each such phase. 21.The system of claim 1 wherein the data store contains links to otherdata in the system such that a change to one item or component ispropagated to all linked data.
 22. The system of claim 1 wherein thedata input system includes a CAD software plug-in.
 23. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the data store is updated in real time.
 24. The systemof claim 1 further including an order fulfillment tool.
 25. A system fordefining and managing a physical asset requiring a plurality of itemsand components, comprising: a data store for virtual area data,including item attributes, for objects incorporated into or consumedduring the creation of the asset; at least one data creation toolset forvirtual area data into the data store; and at least one item procurementsystem, the procurement system including a data store interface allowingsupplementation of virtual area data.
 26. The system of claim 25 furtherincluding a cost management system including a data store interfaceallowing modification of virtual area data.
 27. The system of claim 25further including a project management system including a data storeinterface allowing reference to virtual area data.
 28. The system ofclaim 25 further including an information collection system including adata store interface.
 29. The system of claim 25 wherein the procurementsystem includes a bidding tool.
 30. The system of claim 29 wherein datain the data store organized in the virtual area is linked to biddingtool.
 31. The system of claim 30 wherein data in the data store includesattributes and components exploitable by users in formulating andresponding to bids.
 32. The system of claim 30 wherein the bidding toolmodifies data and updates virtual areas used by other tools.
 33. Thesystem of claim 25 wherein the procurement system includes a purchasingtool.
 34. The system of claim 33 wherein data in the data storeorganized in virtual area is linked to purchase tool.
 35. The system ofclaim 34 wherein data in the data store includes attributes andcomponents exploitable by users in formulating and responding topurchases.
 36. The system of claim 34 wherein the purchase tool modifiesdata and updates data linked to virtual areas used by other tools. 37.The system of claim 34 where in the purchase tool includes a purchaserule set, including a default rule set and a user-defined business ruleset.
 38. The system of claim 34 wherein said system further includes avirtual area definition application, and said purchase tool interfaceswith said virtual areas during a bid process.
 39. A system for definingand managing a physical asset requiring a plurality of items andcomponents, comprising: a data store for virtual area data, includingitem attributes, for objects incorporated into or consumed during thecreation of the asset; at least one data creation system for virtualarea data into the data store; and a cost management system including adata store interface allowing supplementing of virtual area data. 40.The system of claim 39 wherein the cost management system includes anestimate tool.
 41. The system of claim 40 wherein said system furtherincludes a virtual area definition application, and said estimate toolincorporates virtual area classifications and virtual area data.
 42. Thesystem of claim 40 wherein said estimate tool allows assignment ofproject codes to estimate items which can be rolled into a budget. 43.The system of claim 40 wherein said estimate tool includes an estimateroll-up tool.
 44. The system of claim 39 wherein the cost managementsystem includes a budgeting tool.
 45. The system of claim 44 whereinsaid budget tool incorporates links to transactions with virtual areas.46. The system of claim 44 wherein said budget tool incorporates linksto transactions with item purchase orders.
 47. The system of claim 44wherein said budget tool incorporates transaction documents and definesdocuments based on default and user-defined business rules.
 48. Thesystem of claim 44 wherein said system further includes a virtual areadefinition application, and said budget tool interfaces with saidvirtual areas to allow categorization of budget items by virtual area.49. The system of claim 39 wherein the cost management system includes acontract tool.
 50. The system of claim 49 wherein said contract tool islinked to a bidding tool.
 51. The system of claim 49 wherein said systemfurther includes a virtual area definition application, and saidcontract tool is linked to said virtual areas.
 52. The system of claim49 wherein modifications made by the contract tool update virtual areasused by other toolsets.
 53. The system of claim 52 wherein the contracttool includes a set of default and user-defined business rules.
 54. Thesystem of claim 39 wherein the cost management system includes anapplication for payment tool.
 55. The system of claim 39 wherein thecost management system includes an invoice tool.
 56. A system fordefining and managing a physical asset requiring a plurality of itemsand components, comprising: a data store for virtual area data,including item attributes, for objects incorporated into or consumedduring the creation of the asset; at least one data creation system forvirtual area data into the data store; and a teamwork system including adata store interface.
 57. The system of claim 56 further including atleast one item procurement system, the procurement system including adata store interface allowing modification of virtual area data.
 58. Thesystem of claim 56 further including a cost management system includinga data store interface allowing modification of virtual area data. 59.The system of claim 56 further including a project management systemincluding a data store interface allowing reference to virtual areadata.
 60. A system for defining and managing a physical asset requiringa plurality of items and components, comprising: a data store forvirtual area data, including item attributes, for objects incorporatedinto or consumed during the creation of the asset; at least one datacreation system for virtual area data into the data store; and a projectmanagement system including a data store interface allowing supplementto virtual area data.
 61. The system of claim 60 further including atleast one item procurement system, the procurement system including adata store interface allowing modification of virtual area data.
 62. Thesystem of claim 60 further including a cost management system includinga data store interface allowing modification of virtual area data. 63.The system of claim 60 further including an information collectionsystem including a data store interface.
 64. The system of claim 33wherein the project management system includes multiple projects. 65.The system of claim 60 wherein the data store stores object data byproject.
 66. A method for constructing data concerning itemspecifications of an asset, comprising: providing a user data entryinterface; receiving a plurality of data values, each into a data fieldof the interface, wherein the plurality of data fields comprise aspecification for the item and each data field of the specificationdescribes an attribute of the item, and associating the specificationwith a virtual area.
 67. The method of claim 66 wherein said step ofproviding occurs on a first computer and said step of receiving occurson a second computer.
 68. The method of claim 67 wherein said first andsecond computers are coupled by a network.
 69. The method of claim 68wherein said network is the Internet.
 70. A system for projectmanagement, comprising: a component virtual area data store includingcomponent object data; a project management application server includinga virtual area input system, having a virtual area definition tool 71.The system of claim 70 wherein the virtual area definition tool definesa virtual area as a collection of components and items.
 72. The systemof claim 70 wherein the virtual area comprises a spatial representationof an asset that can be used throughout the lifecycle of the asset. 73.The system of claim 70 wherein the system further includes: a data inputtool; an virtual area system; a procurement system; a cost managementsystem; a project management system.
 74. The system of claim 73 whereinsaid virtual area definition can be shared by said virtual area system,procurement system, cost management system, and project managementsystem.
 75. The system of claim 73 wherein said virtual area definitioncan be shared amongst users in a project.
 76. The system of claim 73wherein said virtual area definition can be shared by multipleorganizations.
 77. The system of claim 73 wherein said virtual areaprovides a plurality of work breakdown structures.
 78. The system ofclaim 77 wherein said work breakdown structure is a spatialrepresentation of data.
 79. The system of claim 77 wherein said workbreakdown structure is a project viewpoint.